Agastache Sunrise™ Sky Blue

A member of the Sunrise™ Series, Sky Blue is an herbaceous perennial offering early summer through early fall interest. Long- and heavy-blooming, the plant sets tall, showy, upright spikes dense with tubular, 2-lipped flowers. Violet-blue, the bold blooms make nice cut flowers for floral arrangements or summer bouquets. Nectar-rich, they are irresistible to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and if allowed to go to seed, they also attract birds.

An Agastache hybrid, commonly called hyssop or hummingbird mint, Sunrise Sky Blue has an upright, clumping habit and a fast growth rate. Its gray-green foliage is mint-scented and can be used, fresh or dried, in teas. Since the plant readily self-seeds, it's a good choice for naturalized areas. And since hummingbird mint is well-adapted to dry soils, it's also good for rock gardens and xeriscapes. But they make great container and garden plants, especially in mixed beds and borders.

Low maintenance and generally trouble-free, hummingbird mint is one of the easiest perennials to grow. It prefers a sunny to sun-dappled location with average, medium moist, well-draining soil, having a neutral to slightly acid pH. Established plants tolerate some light shade, heat, and dry soils, but the plants will not intolerant wet soils, which may cause root rot. Deadheading faded flowers promotes additional blooms and prevents unwanted self-seeding. It is deer and rabbit resistant.