Agastache rupestris Apache Sunset -seeds

Agastache rupestris Apache Sunset is a recent, still little-known hybrid. This bushy and woody, short-lived perennial has airy spikes adorned with orange tubular flowers in summer above silver-green, very aromatic foliage, evoking the pungent scent of peppermint. It blooms tirelessly until October. Its aerial, nectar-rich flowers appear from the first year of cultivation. It is an excellent plant in borders, edges and pots. To be grown in well-drained, not too dry to moist soil, in the sun.

Agastache rupestris is a plant of the lamiaceae family native to Central America. In the wild or in the garden, it hybridises very easily with other agastache species and self-seeds abundantly. Growing up to 50cm (19.7 in) or more depending on the soil and climate, it grows as a bushy, woody, upright clump. Its growth is fast and it reaches maturity in a few months. Its branched stems are adorned with hairy leaves which are silver-green on the top and whitish on the underside, thin and elongated, with coarsely toothed edges and give off a scent blending mint and anise. This plant is mainly cultivated for the airy beauty of its floral spikes that appear during the summer, from July to October. The small two-lipped tubular flowers, resembling sage or fuchsia, are grouped in terminal spikes and brightly coloured in apricot, orange, and salmon shades.

The 'Apache Sunset' agastache is an easy-to-grow, ornamental and very robust plant that adapts to any well-drained soil, not too dry in summer and not excessively chalky. It can withstand light frost, around -7°C. It will look good in natural or rustic-looking borders with blue asters for example, or in the vegetable garden where it will accompany thyme, summer savoury, chervil or basil. It also performs well in pots. The leaves can be used in cooking as a condiment, or dried in herbal teas.