Purple Giant Hyssop (Agastache scrophulariifolia)
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Deciduous Perennial Upright in the Lamiaceae Family
A native Illinois wildflower with airy purple-lavender spikes over anise-scented foliage — a woodland-edge relative of the Giant Hyssop group, valued by late-season pollinators.
Purple Giant Hyssop is a native perennial wildflower found in moist woodland edges, streambanks, and savannas across the eastern and midwestern United States, including northern and central Illinois where it occurs occasionally. From midsummer into fall it sends up airy spikes of lavender to pale purple flowers above coarse, toothed, anise-scented foliage. Though uncommon in Illinois, it carries formal conservation concern in parts of its eastern range, including Connecticut, Maryland, and Vermont. It thrives in part shade to filtered sun with consistent moisture, and wilts readily if allowed to dry out in full sun.

Pros

  • Native wildflower, good for naturalized and woodland-edge plantings
  • Anise-scented foliage
  • Attracts bees and other pollinators
  • Tolerant of part shade

Cons

  • Wilts in hot, dry, sunny conditions
  • Short-lived, needs re-establishment every few years
  • Can self-seed readily in favorable spots
Why Like A valuable native nectar source for bees, wasps, and other pollinators late in the season, when many other wildflowers have finished blooming. Its anise-scented foliage makes it easy to identify and pleasant to brush past on a woodland walk. In parts of its eastern range it carries state conservation concern, making garden and restoration plantings meaningful for regional populations.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 72 inches tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 4a - 8b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Disease Resistant, Extended Bloom Time, Fast Growth Rate, 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, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Medium, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Squirrel Resistant, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period July to September
Flower Color Lavender to Pale Purple
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 08/23
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
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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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

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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!