Tango hummingbird mint full#

Text and Photos by Founder and Chief Horticulturist David Salman. In mid-spring, prune Agastache by removing the old stems just above the tuft of green foliage growing from the crown. Remove the old stems just above the tuft of green foliage growing from the crown. Wait until mid-spring in your area (a month or so before last frost) to cut them back. Nutrients from the stems help to feed the crown and fortify it against winter cold. Leave the old stems from last summer's growing season on the plants. It is essential that you not cut back hummingbird mints in the fall. Helpful Hint: Fall Care For Agastache - Improving Cold Hardiness of Hummingbird Mints No chemical fertilizers (Miracle Gro or similar higher nitrogen formulations) as these cause the plants to grow like annuals and not be tough enough to make it through winter. Mulch with small diameter gravel to protect the crown from winter moisture and only fertilize in the fall with a low nitrogen, high trace mineral fertilizer like Yum Yum Mix.

Tango hummingbird mint full#

Just be sure to plant into fast draining, low humus ('lean') soils in full sun. Hybrid Hummingbird Mint Acapulco Deluxe Yellow foeniculum) and 'Blue Boa' can be better suited to these wetter regions with proper soil preparation, mulching and fertilization.

Yet, other species and selections of Agastache, like the Acapulco® group of hybrids, Blue Hyssop (A.

Many of the Southwestern species like Agastache rupestris (Licorice Mint hummingbird mint) and Agastache cana (TX Hummingbird Mint) and their hybrids ( Desert Sunrise®, 'Desert Solstice') are not a good match.

Agastache rupestris Apache Sunset Understanding Region Differences When Choosing Agastache For Your Gardenįor gardeners in cold winter, higher rainfall areas (especially east of the Mississippi River), plant selection is essential for long term success with these incredible flowering perennials. That's why I like to offer a wide variety of species and cultivars to give gardeners more plants from which to best match their growing conditions. It's seed grown so plants will not be uniform as cutting grown plants like Glowing Embers®.Īnd as I've talked with High Country Gardens customers over the years, I have come to understand how the Agastache react in regions of the US with different climates than Santa Fe. This is a semi-dwarf selection of this species that is about 1/3 shorter in flower than Glowing Embers® or the original selection of Agastache rupestris.

Agastache rupestris 'Apache Sunset' (Compact Licorice Mint Hummingbird Mint) - 18-24' tall x 15' wide.

Just be sure to give it adequate water in the summer as it's not as xeric as the Southwestern species. This species is reliably USDA zone 4 cold hardy. An outstanding perennial for attracting bees and butterflies with its nectar-rich flowers, is a highly recommended perennial for gardeners in the moister eastern half of the country, and in the northern tier states of the West like Montana and Wyoming. Native to the northern tier states of the US and Canada, this exceptionally cold hardy Hyssop blooms for many months with smoky-blue to mid-blue flowers held above attractive, aromatic foliage.

Agastache foeniculum (Blue Hyssop) - 30-36' tall x 15-18' wide.

Seedling will not be true-to-type and should be weeded out.Īgastache foeniculum or Blue Giant Hyssop. Leave the stems in place over the winter months to improve cold hardiness. This perennial is a stiffly upright grower with large green leaves that grows best in fast draining soil and average moisture levels it's not a xeric species. Here is a stunning new hybrid variety that blooms for several months from mid- to late summer with showy spikes of deep violet-blue flowers. Use it in container gardens because it is long blooming and makes an excellent annual flower companion. This too is a very compact new hummingbird mint with pretty light yellow flowers that attract hummingbirds.

Agastache Acapulco® Deluxe Yellow - 12-15' tall x 12-15' wide.Use it in container gardens because it's long blooming and makes an excellent annual flower companion. This is a very compact new hummingbird mint with pretty pastel-pink flowers that attract hummingbirds to your landscape.

Agastache Acapulco® Deluxe Peach - 12-15' tall x 12-15' wide.

Here are the New Agastache Varieties for Spring 2017: Hybrid Hummingbird Mint Acapulco Deluxe Peach. (This is because many of the native Agastache species are found in my neck of the woods the Southwestern US and northern Mexico.) No doubt, my intense interest in these perennials has been helped by the fact that they are very successfully grown in this high desert climate. During that time, I have enjoyed growing, breeding and selecting new cultivars here in my Santa Fe, NM gardens. This genus of native plants has held my full attention for more than 20 years. By High Country Gardens Agastache Blue Boa.