Agastache Rugosa or also known as Korean Mint or Licorice Mint.

We have grown this plant for a few years and absolutely love it. It is a great attractor of pollinators and thus a must in a pollinator garden. It has beautiful 8” lavender flower stalks that can be used fresh or dried in cut flower bouquets. The best part is the flowers and leaves hold their aroma and color once dried.

If these reasons alone weren’t reason enough to grow this plant, here is some more. The purplish leaves have an anise flavor that is excellent for tea and is used most commonly in Korean cuisine in their stews and pancakes. If you find a Korean recipe looking for some baechohyang or banga, this is what you are looking for.  These leaves can be an excellent addition to salads. Harvest the leaves before the plant has time to flower for better taste.  

It is also a medicinal plant with healing properties. It can be helpful to fight off cold symptoms when ingested. While aromatically, it stimulates digestion, circulation and general energy.  

Don’t let the name fool you, Korean Mint is not part of the Mint family. This means it does not spread by runners and take over your whole garden; instead, it grows in clumps that can be separated. It is a hardy perennial cousin of  Anise Hyssop with a zone range of 5-9.

If I ever manage to get into the soap business, this is among several plants that I would use for its lovely aroma. The others might surprise you as well.

4" pot