Leaf
Forest & Kim Starr, Wikimedia · CC BY 3.0
Anise hyssop
Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze
Also known as: Giant hyssop
Family: Lamiaceae
60 cm to 1 m tall
Planted in a sunny border, ordinary well-drained soils
Flowering: July – September
Full sun
Fairly hardy, to about -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The foliage of anise hyssop gives off such a pronounced aniseed scent when crushed that it is used in infusions as a substitute for mint or liquorice — a plant as much appreciated by gardeners as by bees.
🍃 Leaves
Ovate, toothed, giving off a strong aniseed smell when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Small, blue-violet, grouped in long, dense, upright spikes
🍎 Fruits
Small achene
🪵 Bark
Square, upright herbaceous stem.
🗺️ Distribution
Native to North America; widely grown in France as an aromatic border perennial
🐝 Value for pollinators
Long nectar-rich spikes, very attractive to bees and other pollinating insects.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Aromatic border perennial, aniseed-scented foliage used in herbal tea, very decorative spikes that are valuable for pollinators
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Leaves and flowers used as an aromatic herb or in infusions. Traditional food use is not a general guarantee of safety.
🌿 Other Lamiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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