Common Name: Mexican giant hyssop
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Lamiaceae
Zone: 7 to 10
Height: 3.00 to 4.00 feet
Spread: 1.50 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: July to September
Bloom Description: Red-pink
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Medium
Flower: Showy, Fragrant, Good Cut
Leaf: Fragrant
Culture
Best grown in well-draining, evenly moist to dry soil in full sun to part shade. Hardy in Zones 6-10. Tolerant of heat and drought once established.
'Sangria' is reportedly hardy in Zones 7-10.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Agastache mexicana, commonly called Mexican giant hyssop, is a herbaceous perennial endemic to Mexico where it is found growing in oak forests at elevations around 8,000' in central Mexico. Mature plants will reach 2-3' tall with a similar spread. The lanceolate to narrowly ovate foliage will reach 1-3" long and 0.75-1.5" wide. Bright pink blooms are held in dense whorls called verticillasters in terminal spikes from mid-summer to early fall. The leaves and flowers are fragrant with an anise-like scent.
Genus name comes from the Greek words agan meaning "very much" and stachys meaning "ear of wheat" in reference to the appearance of the flower spikes.
The specific epithet mexicana means "of Mexico" and refers to the native range of this species.
'Sangria' is a vigorous, longer-lived selection of Mexican giant hyssop that features a floriferous display of red-pink flowers in dense whorls. Mature clumps will reach 3-4' tall with a 1.5-2' spread.
Problems
Crown/root rot may develop in poorly drained soils. No serious insect or disease problems, but watch for rust, powdery mildew and leaf spots. Deer tend to avoid this plant. Tends to be a short-lived perennial.
Uses
Sunny mixed borders, cottage gardens, pollinator gardens. Good fresh cut flower. Used in traditional medicine practices by the indigenous people of central Mexico to treat gastrointestinal distress, pain, and other ailments.