Agastache ‘Black Adder’ on 6-29-14, #230-3.
Giant Hyssop
Agastache ‘Black Adder’
Agastache rugosa x Agastache foeniculum
ah-gas-TAH-kee roo-GO-suh X ah-gas-TAH-kee fen-IK-yoo-lum
Agastache ‘Black Adder’ is a hybrid between Agastache rugosa and Agastache foeniculum.
Agastache rugosa (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Kuntze is the accepted scientific name for one parent. It was described as such by Carl Ernst Otto Kuntze in Revisio Generum Plantarum in 1891. It was first described as Lophanthus rugosus by Friedrich Ernst Ludwig von Fischer and Carl Anton von Meyer in Index Seminum in 1835.
Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze is the accepted scientific name of the other parent. It was first described by that name by Carl Ernst Otto Kuntze in Revisio Generum Plantarum in 1891. It was first described as Stachys foeniculum by Frederick Traugott Pursh in Flora Americae Septentrionalis in 1813.
The genus, Agastache J.Clayton ex Gronov., was first described by John Clayton and Johan Frederik Gronovius in Flora Virginia in 1762.
As of 12-19-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online by Kew lists 22 accepted species of Agastache. It is a member of the plant family Lamiaceae with 232 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.
Hyssop is a Greek word meaning “many spikes” or “many ears of corn” giving reference to their flower spikes.
THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING.
I bought my first Agastache ‘Black Adder’ in the spring of 2014. I put it in the bed next to the side porch. It did very well and I really loved the plant. We have a few deer but they normally don’t venture too close to the house. However, they did just to eat a few flowers off this plant. Kind of strange, though, because Agastache is supposed to be deer-resistant. Sadly, though, this plant did not return the following spring and I couldn’t find another one. A whole bed of these would be AWESOME!
Agastache ‘Black Adder’ on 6-29-14, #230-4.
One common name for the Agastache is Giant Hyssop, although many species also have their own common names. One of the parents of A. ‘Black Adder’, Agastache foeniculum, is Anise Hyssop. The other parent, Agastache rugosa, is known as Korean Mint, Purple Giant Hyssop, etc.
Agastache hybrids are said to have better flowers and be more winter-hardy. They come in a variety of colors including shades of red, orange, pink, yellow, and white.
Agastache ‘Black Adder’ after the deer attack on 7-12-14, #231-2.
USEFUL INFORMATION:
HARDINESS ZONES: USDA 6-9
HEIGHT: 2-3’ +
SPREAD: 2’
FLOWERING PERIOD: June-September
LIGHT: Full sun to part shade
WATER: Medium
SOIL: Average, well-drained soil
MAINTENANCE: Deadhead flowers to promote additional bloom.
USES: They attract butterflies
In cooler areas where overwintering could be a problem, plants should be located in a southern exposure. Leaf and flower stems should not be removed. Loose mulch should be used to protect against root rot (such as coarse mulch-like bark.
I hope you enjoyed this page and maybe found it useful. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, I would like to hear from you. Please click on “like” if you visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 You can check out the links below for further reading. The links take you directly to the genus and species of this plant.
The Belmont Rooster 
I liked your site very much, I was interested to know if cats are harmed by black adder if eaten?
Thank you for your informative site and will be interested in your answer
Sandra Ellis
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Hello Sandra! Glad to hear from you and happy to hear you like the site. Good question but I really don’t know the answer. I never noticed the cats here eating it. It is possibly safe in small quantities, but Anise oil made from Giant Hyssop would be toxic to pets if ingested. Sorry I can’t be of more help. Take care and thanks for the comment!
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