Purple Giant Hyssop

Plant Info

Also known as:
Scientific name:	Agastache scrophulariifolia
Family:	Mint (Lamiaceae)
Life cycle:	perennial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	sun, part shade; woods
Bloom season:	summer
Plant height:	3 to 6 feet

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Detailed Information

Flower:

Flower spike 1 to 6 inches long of ¼ inch long tubular flowers, each with 4 long stamen. Color ranges from lavender to pale pink and occasionally white. The lower lip of the flower tube has 3 lobes; the center one is widest. One plant usually has several spikes. Not all flowers are open at the same time.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are up to 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, with a rounded base, pointed tip and coarsely toothed edges. The leaf stem is covered in short hairs. Like all members of the Mint family, the main stem is square; it has scattered short hairs along the ridges as well.

Notes:

Purple Giant Hyssop can be distinguished from Blue Giant Hyssop primarily by the cup-like whorl of sepals (calyx) holding the flower. Purple Giant Hyssop has a green calyx, Blue Giant Hyssop is blue-violet. The underside of Blue Giant Hyssop leaves is also whitish where Purple Giant Hyssop is green.

More photos

• full length of plant, about 5 feet tall.

More purple wildflowers. Photos taken at Pioneer Park, Blaine, MN and Wild River State Park, Center City, MN July-August 2007

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Ramsey County, or have any other comments about it?

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