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Agastache hybrids |
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| | 'Blue Fortune' |
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| | 'Bolero' |
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| Common name |
hyssop |
| Family |
lamiaceae |
| Life cycle |
perennial |
| Flowers |
lavender (summer) |
| Size |
2-3' |
| Light |
sun |
| Cultural notes |
ordinary garden soil |
'Blue Fortune' is a hybrid of Agastache foeniculum and Agastache rugosa, with spikes of nearly-blue flowers. 'Bolero' is a cross between A. barberi and A. cana. The flower spikes on our seed-grown plants aren't nearly as dense and fluffy as in online photo's of this hybrid, so I think our plants may have reverted to more closely resemble one of the seed parents; they are not unlike A. cana.
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We left this plant behind in our Pennsylvania garden (and wish it well); we don't grow it in Houston. About my plant portraits
PlantLinks to other web pages about Agastache hybrids
Visitors to this page have left the following comments| Ann Leonard | Jul 25, 2005 | How do you propagate the Blue Fortune Agastache? I planted one last year and I'd love to share it with friends. One problem I have had is it's become so large that it's falling over. I need to try to either stake it back or prune it. The bees love it, too.
I haven't tried to propagate it yet, but I'm pretty sure I've seen it referred to as a self-seeder. I must not take very good care of it, because it doesn't get tall enough to flop for me... |
| Maggy | Sep 08, 2005 | The real Agastache 'Blue Fortune' is a sterile hybrid, so it will not self- seed. You can propagate it by division or by cuttings taken before flowering. Sterility was the reason for its selection, because self-seeding can be a big problem with some Agastache. Sterility also increases the flowering time.
Thanks Maggy! I'm pretty sure my plant (from a local plant swap) was a seedling, so its probably not the real thing. |
| Barbara | Oct 26, 2009 | Thanks for the comment on the sterility. Definitely hasn't self-sown, although I've been trying to encourage it. It grows tough stems that tend to fall over in my hilly rock garden. Bees love it and it still has appeal with the dried "seedheads." This year I had no problem with deer or other critters, though in the past, they've been nibbled. |
| Alan | Mar 29, 2010 | These start easily from cuttings with two stem divisions if you don't like to distupt the terrain and parent through root division. |
| lrc | Aug 30, 2010 | I believe my agastache are the blue fortune;i am not sure. They are actually more of a lavender/purple than blue - anyway; my plants (2) are about 4 feet tall and the rain and wind have beaten them down. The one plant seems to have a new plant starting up (about 1and ahalf feet tall now) in the center of the flattened stems, the other plant is all out of whack and the stems are pointing out sideways instead of upright. Does anyone know how i can fix them and/or prevent this (i planted them last fall). THANK YOU for any input.
LRC |
| Sally | May 20, 2012 | I just transplanted two Agastache Blue Fortune plants,and the bottom leaves have turned yellow. Any suggestions? Am I overwatering? I didn't think I was, but maybe so... |
| Scott | Oct 25, 2017 | I have been propagating agastache for about 5 years now. It sets no seed and looks just like the photo on the left, so I'm sure it's the Blue Fortune. In Loudoun County, VA, it starts blooming very lightly about the first of July and by July 15 it's in full bloom. And it's still blooming now--October 25! I have 4 beehives and they (and bumblebees) adore it for nectar (it produces no pollen.) |
| Scott | Oct 25, 2017 | Yes, it gets blown over in strong storms and it does not right itself. Once it gets blown half way down, it tends to keep slowly falling (though the bees don't mind too much). If you cut off some of the drooping stems, new flowering stems will rapidly appear and bloom. It smells delightfully of licorice. I can walk next to mine and smell the delightful aroma in the leaves (not the flowers). |
| Scott | Oct 25, 2017 | I have had excellent success digging up the larger plants (like 4+ stems) in late October. First I cut all the stems down to about 5" in height. The next day I dig a big circle around the plant about 12" out from all stems, and lift up the clump. After shaking off the earth, I can gently wiggle and twist individual stems or groups of stems apart each with its own root system--replant right away. |
| Scott | Oct 25, 2017 | The bottom leaves of mine sometimes turn a bit yellow--not sure why, but does not appear to be serious or progressive. They also start to turn yellow in fall even as they are still blooming. The root-stem divisions I'm making now will bloom vigorously starting next July. |
| Scott | Oct 25, 2017 | Except for when I am planting new root-stem divisions, I NEVER water or fertilize these plants. No matter how hot or dry, they keep making nectar for my bees and never wilt. By biggest clumps have stems 4 feet high and 4 feet in diameter altogether--very impressive. NEVER had any insect, disease or fungus issue. Deer never bother mine, nor rabbits. |
| Scott | Oct 25, 2017 | My plants are absolutely stately, gorgeous, and formal looking, clean all the way down to the ground, until a big storm. Storms are definitely the one Achille's heel in this amazing plant. One day I plan to take some wire fencing material and mount it horizontally on wooden stakes about 2' above the ground. I believe the stems will grow through the holes and the support will stop storm damage. |
| Scott | Oct 25, 2017 | Once a flower spike is produced, that same spike produces little florets on it literally non-stop until frost. Peak floret bloom time is probably early August through Mid-September, then it tapers off but definitely does not stop till frost. Longest-blooming perennial I have ever grown. Leaves are a medium to light green. The spike is attractive the entire time, but bluest at peak bloom. |
| Scott | Oct 25, 2017 | It starts sprouting about the same time everything else is coming up. It is very tidy and lovely before it blooms. I have had monarchs, painted ladies, and some other types of butterflies visit. I have seen a couple Japanese beetles, but absolutely no noticeable damage. I have about 70 plants now--and plan to keep going until I have enough to try a late-season honey harvest. |
- Seed for 'Bolero' from NARGS '13/'14 exchange. Baggy 70F (88%G, 5-8d)
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