Common Name: Giant Hyssop

General Information

Agastache urticifolia is an erect, herbaceous perennial plant forming a clump of much-branched stems up to 200cm tall from a slowly-spreading rhizomatous rootstock[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Western N. America - British Columbia to Montana, south to California and Colorado.

Habitat

Moist soils of open hillsides, canyons and mountain valleys, from the foothills to about 2,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.20 m
Pollinators	Bees, Butterflies
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Agastache urticifolia is found wild from the cool temperate regions of southwest Canada to the much milder climates of California and Colorado. It should be very cold hardy, with one report saying it withstands temperatures down to about -40°c when fully dormant[], though another says that it only tolerates temperatures down to between -5 -10°c[]. A plant is growing in a sunny bed at Kew Botanical garden in the UKs and appears fully hardy there[].
Prefers a warm sunny sheltered position and a well-drained soil. Succeeds in most soils.
The flowers are very attractive to bees and butterflies.

Edible Uses

Leaves[]. No further details are given, but they are most likely to be used as an aromatic flavouring in salads and cooked foods[].

Seed - raw or cooked[, , , , , ]. The seed is very small and fiddly to use[].

The dried flowers and leaves are used to make a herbal tea[].

Medicinal

The leaves are analgesic and antirheumatic[]. A decoction is taken internally in the treatment of rheumatism, measles, stomach pains and colds[].
Externally, a poultice of the mashed leaves is applied to swellings[].

Other Uses

None known

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.