Agastache foeniculum Hummingbird Mint

"Hummingbird mint" or Agastache foeniculum is known for its cylindrical, fluffy, pale lilac flower spikes that attract pollinators in droves from early to late summer. A member of the mint family, its refreshingly aromatic foliage repels deer and rabbits and earns it its other common name: "anise hyssop." Agastache foeniculum hummingbird mint is native to the United States, where it hails from dry, open forests and prairies in the upper Midwest and Great Plains. It thrives in lean soil and the hot sun where few other plants dare. Agastache foeniculum (and cultivars of it) has become a flower bed staple for any gardener looking to feed bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It is essential to plant it in well-draining soil and not to fertilize. It has been known to self-sow.