Common Name: Anise Hyssop

General Information

Agastache foeniculum is an erect, clump-forming herbaceous, perennial plant growing 60 - 120cm tall. The plant forms a cluster of stems from a slowly-spreading rhizomatous rootstock[].
The plant is one of the nicer wild foods and is often harvested from the wild for local use, both as a food and medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental in the garden, valued especially for its attractive flower spikes and their ability to bring bees, butterflies and humming birds into the garden.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Northern, western and central N. America - Northwest Territories to Quebec and New Brunswick, south to Colorado and Illinois.

Habitat

Dry thickets, fields and waste ground[] on prairies and plains[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.90 m
Pollinators	Bees, Butterflies, Humming birds
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[].
Prefers a sunny position, though it tolerates some shade[, ]. Requires a dry well-drained soil[, , ]. An easily grown plant, succeeding in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils[].. Plants tolerate dry soils, particularly once established[].
The young growth in spring is very susceptible to slug damage[].
The flowering plants are very attractive to bees and butterflies[].
There is at least one named variety. 'Texas American' has an anise-pennyroyal fragrance and is used in a similar way to the species[].

Edible Uses

Leaves and flowers - raw or cooked. They are used as a flavouring in raw or cooked dishes[, , ]. Excellent raw, they have a sweet aniseed flavour and are one of our favourite flavourings in salads[]. They make a delicious addition to the salad bowl[] and can also be used to flavour cooked foods, especially acid fruits[].The only drawback to the leaves is that they tend to have a drying effect in the mouth and so cannot be eaten in quantity[].
A pleasant tasting tea is made from the leaves[, , , ].

The seeds can be added as a flavouring to cookies or muffins[].

Medicinal

The leaves are cardiac and diaphoretic[, , ]. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of colds, fevers, weak heart etc[]. When left to go cold, the infusion is used to treat pains in the chest (such as when the lungs are sore from too much coughing)[].
A poultice of leaves and stems can be used to treat burns[].

Other Uses

The dried, aromatic leaves can be added to potpourris[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 13°c[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first year. Plant out in late spring or early summer[].
Division in spring. Fairly simple, if large divisions are used it is possible to plant them straight out into their permanent positions.
Basal cuttings of young shoots in spring[]. Harvest the young shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm tall and pot them up in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse. They should root within 3 weeks and can be planted out in the summer or following spring.