by David Salman

Two Old Plant Friends Return, Bringing You Color, Fragrance and Hummingbirds
Fragrance. A wonderful attribute that has attracted mankind to aromatic plants since the dawn of time. As gardeners, we get to have the fun of growing these plants in addition to enjoying their fragrance. Many of us are familiar with herbal plants such as lavender, rosemary and scented geraniums.

Growing Agastache in the Right Spot
The key to growing the Agastache (Hummingbird Mints) is to find a hot, sunny planting site with quick draining soil of low fertility. Clay and rich, water-retentive loamy soils are a poor match for these plants.
Regionally, the drier climates of the Great Plains, Intermountain West and West Coast are where Agastache are most happy and long lived. For gardeners further east with too much rain or those with the wrong garden soil, Agastache are very successfully enjoyed as showy potted plants like zonal Geraniums. Use them in your container gardens mixed with annuals, ornamental grasses and other perennials. They bloom the first growing season and will bring hummingbirds right up to your outdoor living spaces with their nectar-rich flowers. A living hummingbird feeder in a pot!
Two of the Very Best Agastaches
I've been growing, breeding and selecting new Agastache varieties for many years. This has familiarized me with the best varieties and how they like to be grown. And I'm pleased to have two of my favorites back in the catalog. Both these cultivars have intriguing multi-colored flower spikes in shades orange and pink, and mint scented blooms and foliage.

- Agastache Desert Sunrise™ - This is my first hybrid Hummingbird Mint released by High Country Gardens in 2000. A garden cross between two of the best and most growable species, Agastache cana and A. rupestris, Desert Sunrise™ is a big, vigorous grower sometimes topping out at nearly four feet in height. It's also interesting to note that this vigorous hybrid has enhanced nectar production, more copious than either of the parent plants, and is a favorite of the hummingbirds. Its larger size and robust growth habit make it a great companion plant for Blue Spire Russian Sage, Silver Ironweed and Blue Mist Spirea.
- Agastache Acapulco® Salmon and Pink - A very well bred group of hybrid Hummingbird Mints, the Acapulco® series have impressed me with their cold hardiness and durability in the garden. Salmon and Pink brings a softer shade of pink and orange to the garden. And the plant is vigorous with its big flower spikes and attractive foliage. Combine it with 'Powis Castle' Sage, French Hybrid Lavender and Muhly Grasses.
Text and Photos by Founder and Chief Horticulturist David Salman.
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Agastache hybrid ‚Poquito™ Lavender‚ PP#30,530 (Dwarf Hummingbird Mint) is prized for its compact bushy growth, long season of bloom, large flowers, and tolerance to he...
Learn MorePoquito™ Lavender Agastache Poquito™ Lavender Hummingbird Mint Agastache 'TNAGAPL' PP#30,530$12.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotAgastache hybrid 'Poquito™ Lavender' PP#30,530 (Dwarf Hummingbird Mint) is prized for its compact bushy growth, long season of bloom, large flowers, and tolerance to heat and drought. Densely packed, bright lavender-pink flower spikes bloom from summer to mid-fall, attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators. A true garden work horse, it provides color, cut flowers, and sweet minty fragrance. One of the most compact Agastache plants available, it is the perfect fit for small space gardens, containers, and sidewalk gardens – a whole new way to enjoy this favorite waterwise perennial.Agastache hybrid ‚Poquito™ Butter Yellow‚ PP#30,403 (Hummingbird Mint) is an award-winning dwarf Hummingbird Mint prized for its compact bushy growth, long season of bl...
Learn MorePoquito™ Butter Yellow Agastache Poquito™ Butter Yellow Hummingbird Mint Agastache 'TNAGAPBY' PP#30,403$12.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotAgastache hybrid 'Poquito™ Butter Yellow' PP#30,403 (Hummingbird Mint) is an award-winning dwarf Hummingbird Mint prized for its compact bushy growth, long season of bloom, large flowers, and tolerance to heat and drought. Like golden sparklers, it brightens the garden all season long with sunny yellow flowers. One of the most compact Agastache plants available, it is the perfect fit for small space gardens, containers, and sidewalk gardens. Enjoy the hummingbirds and other pollinators as they flock to the densely packed flowers.Agastache hybrid ‚Kudos™ Silver Blue‚ PP#25,344 (Dwarf Hummingbird Mint) blooms non-stop from late spring to fall with blue blooms. Fragrant foliage and a compact form ...
Learn MoreKudos™ Silver Blue Agastache Kudos™ Silver Blue Hummingbird Mint (Hyssop) Agastache Kudos™ 'Silver Blue' PP#25,344$12.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotAgastache hybrid 'Kudos™ Silver Blue' PP#25,344 (Dwarf Hummingbird Mint) blooms non-stop from late spring to fall with blue blooms. Fragrant foliage and a compact form are perfect for a sidewalk garden, containers, or small gardens.Agastache rupestris (Licorice Mint Hyssop) is one of the best, most durable species in the Agastache family. With smoky orange flowers held by lavender calyxes, the entire plant is s...
Learn MoreAgastache rupestris Licorice Hummingbird Mint (Sunset Hyssop) Agastache rupestrisAs low as $13.99Per Plant - 5" Deep PotAgastache rupestris (Licorice Mint Hyssop) is one of the best, most durable species in the Agastache family. With smoky orange flowers held by lavender calyxes, the entire plant is scented like licorice and mint. Drought resistant/drought tolerant perennial plant (xeric). A 1996 High Country Gardens introduction. 2023 Plant Of The Year.