Height: 3-5 feet; 2-foot spread
Light: Full to part sun; best in full sun
Soil: Medium, well drained
Bloom: Purple, dense spikes, fragrant
Fruit: Capsule
Foliage: Licorice scented
Pair with: Black-eyed Susan, Goldenrod, Little Bluestem
Landscape: Perennial border, butterfly garden, meadow
Resistance: Deer, rabbits
More information and native range here
Anise Hyssop
Pollinator value: Very High. Hummingbirds, butterflies, native bees, beetles, flies.
Plant 12 to 24 inches apart; Small, purple flowers crowd around a spike that rises up out of the foliage in summer; blooms last for several weeks, July into fall. Anise Hyssop self-seeds and is best when given space to spread.
The foliage has a licorice scent and can be used in salads and teas; the seeds do nicely in cookies and other baked goods.
Dried, spent flower heads provide winter interest or cut-flower arrangements.