USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol. 3: 112.
Where Commonly Found: Dry, open, semi-shaded areas, roadsides in CT, NH, NY, RI.
How to Identify:
(For unfamiliar words: Wikipedia Glossary of Botanical Terms).
Go Botany Key for Agastache foeniculum,
Missouri Botanical Garden’s description of Agastache foeniculum. Click on more images.
Flower Color: Blue to Purple,
Flower Type: Bilaterally symmetrical, terminal spikes, densely packed, cylindrical, individual tiny two-lipped flowers, 1/3″ long with 5 petals and 4 stamen.
Flower Time: Mid-July – Late September
Leaf Arrangement: Opposite leaves, two leaves per node along square stem.
Leaf Type: Simple, broad to ovate lanceolate dull, toothed leaves, to 4″, anise-scented leaves, whitened underneath, petioles are 3/8″ – 5/8″ long. Sepals are blue-purple and finely hairy.
Height: 3′-5′
Seed Collection: Look inside calyx cup, seeds are at base, begin to darken when ripe, about 3-4 weeks after flowering. Can harvest whole flower, store in paper bag, shake seeds free when dry.
Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Use: Garden or Naturalizing
Light: Full Sun to Part Sun
Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8 USDA Zone Map
Soils: Dry to Moist
Notes: One of the best for supporting pollinators while providing a beautiful late season flower show with anise-scented foliage.
Introduced and naturalized in NH, CT, MA, NY, native to upper Midwest: Biota of North America Program (BONAP) – North American Plant Atlas (NAPA).
Northeast Wild Seed Collectors 
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