A Pollinator Magnet with Fragrant Foliage

Blue Fortune Hyssop (Agastache 'Blue Fortune') is one of the hardest-working pollinator plants you can grow, sending up dense, soft lavender-blue flower spikes from midsummer well into fall above aromatic, anise-scented foliage. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds swarm it from morning to dusk. Upright, tidy, and long-blooming, it's drought-tolerant and deer-resistant once established, making it a carefree star of sunny borders in Edina, Maple Grove, and Woodbury. It performs best in well-drained soil, especially over winter.

Landscape Uses

Use Blue Fortune in pollinator and sunny borders, prairie-style and cottage gardens, and mass plantings. Its long bloom and fragrant foliage pair beautifully with coneflowers, ornamental grasses, and black-eyed Susan; the flowers cut well, and seed heads add winter interest.

Best Time to Plant

Plant in spring or early summer so it establishes well before winter. Good drainage is the key to reliable overwintering in Minnesota.

How to Plant

Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Set the crown level with the soil, backfill, water in, and mulch lightly. Avoid heavy, wet sites, which can cause winter loss.

Watering

First Year: Water deeply 1–2 times per week to establish the roots.
After Year One: Water during dry spells. It's quite drought tolerant once established.
Drip Irrigation: A drip line provides efficient moisture without keeping the crown wet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How good is it for pollinators?
Exceptional, it's one of the top nectar plants for bees and butterflies and a hummingbird favorite, blooming for months.

Is it hardy in Minnesota?
It's hardy here in well-drained soil; wet winter soil is the main risk, so site it accordingly.

Does it have fragrant foliage?
Yes, the leaves have a pleasant anise or licorice scent when brushed.

Is it deer resistant?
Yes, the aromatic foliage makes it reliably deer-resistant.

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Pair Blue Fortune with coneflowers, ornamental grasses, and black-eyed Susan for a long-blooming, pollinator-friendly sunny border.

How Many Blue Fortune Hyssop Do I Need?

For a pollinator drift, space plants 18–24 inches apart; for a single accent, plant in groups of 3. Mass it for the biggest bee-and-butterfly show.

Blue Fortune Hyssop Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Aromatic, anise-scented foliage emerges into a tidy upright clump.
• Summer: Dense, soft lavender-blue flower spikes open by midsummer and swarm with bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
• Fall: Keeps blooming well into fall, then forms seed heads songbirds pick over.
• Winter: Sturdy seed heads add winter interest and structure before spring cutback.

At a Glance

✔ Pollinator-Friendly   ✔ Deer-Resistant   ✔ Drought-Tolerant

Plant It With

• Sombrero Granada Gold Coneflower — gold coneflowers are a classic pollinator partner against the lavender-blue spikes.
• Little Bluestem — fine native grass that softens and supports the upright hyssop.
• Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass — vertical plumes echo the hyssop's spikes in a prairie-style bed.
• Autumn Fire Sedum — extends the late-season nectar buffet for pollinators.

Is Blue Fortune Hyssop Right for Your Yard?

Blue Fortune thrives in full sun and average, well-drained soil and blooms for months with little care. Not a fit for heavy, wet sites — soggy winter soil is the main cause of plant loss, so site it where water drains freely.