Little Adder Giant Hyssop (Agastache rugosa 'Little Adder')
ag-ah-STAK-ee roo-GO-sah 'Little Adder'

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Compact in the Lamiaceae Family

Agastache rugosa 'Little Adder' is a patented (US PP26,514) hyssop discovered in 2011 in Guadalupe, California, by Scott Trees for Ball Horticultural, from an open-pollinated seedling of 'Heronswood Strain' (the pollen parent is unrecorded). It forms a compact, upright-mounded clump considerably smaller than 'Black Adder' or 'Blue Fortune', with dark green, sage-scented foliage and abundant spikes of medium violet flowers from late spring through fall. A shorter-lived perennial, it benefits from periodic division to stay vigorous.

Pros

  • Compact habit, smaller than most Agastache cultivars
  • Long bloom season, late spring through fall
  • Sage-scented foliage
  • Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds

Cons

  • Shorter-lived than many perennial Agastache; benefits from periodic division
  • Needs good drainage; declines in heavy or waterlogged soil
  • Patented — propagation restricted to licensed growers
Highlights

Compact, patented hyssop with dark green sage-scented foliage and abundant violet flower spikes from late spring through fall.

 

Plant Data

Mature Size 15 - 24 inches tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Average moisture needs with tolerance for short-term drought once established.
Zones 5a - 9b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Disease Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Extended Bloom Time, Filler, Fragrant, Fragrant Foliage, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Herb, Low Maintenance, Medium, Naturalizing, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Perennial, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Squirrel Resistant, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period June-September
Flower Color Purple, Lavender, Mauve
Foliage Color Green
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 09/21
2023 : 04/13 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!