Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

CHF 9.95

Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Name: Agastache 'Blue Fortune'
Brand: Agastache
Price: 9.95 CHF
Availability: OutOfStock

Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

CHF 9.95

Powder-blue to lavender flower spikes
Aniseed-scented, grey-green foliage
Flowers from July to September
About 70–90 cm tall
Excellent plant for bees and butterflies

'Blue Fortune' is one of the most popular agastaches. From July to September it bears countless powder-blue flower spikes, swarming with bees and butterflies. The foliage smells of aniseed when touched. This robust perennial is easy to care for and flowers all through late summer without cutting back.

About this variety

Agastache 'Blue Fortune' was bred in the Netherlands from a cross between the North American Agastache foeniculum and the Korean Agastache rugosa. It forms upright, well-branched bushes with many dense flower spikes in soft blue with a lavender tinge. When rubbed, the leaves smell of aniseed and liquorice.

The perennial needs a sunny spot and well-drained soil. At about 70–90 cm tall, it suits the middle of the border, cottage gardens, wildlife gardens and large containers. Lovely partners are coneflowers, yarrow, grasses and bergamot. Its scent is best appreciated near paths and terraces.

Hardly any perennial is visited so heavily by bees, bumblebees and butterflies. The spikes are also good for summer bouquets. Young leaves and flowers can give tea or salads a delicate aniseed flavour. The seed heads stand into winter and give the border structure. The variety is regarded as one of the most reliable agastaches and has received awards for its attractive, compact habit.

Planting

Plant 'Blue Fortune' in spring from March to May, preferably in spring rather than autumn, so that it roots in well before winter. A spot in full sun with well-drained soil is ideal. Make the planting hole twice the size of the root ball, with the root collar just below the surface. Space the plants 35–50 cm apart and water them in.

Care

Water while the plant is establishing, and later only during long dry spells. A little compost in spring is enough. Leave the stems standing over winter, as they protect the plant. Only cut back in spring when new growth becomes visible. Agastaches do not like wet soil in winter.

Specifications

Botanical name: Agastache 'Blue Fortune'
Genus: Perennials
Class: Various
Supplied as: Bare roots
Flower colour: Blue, Purple
Flower size: 10 cm
Fragrant: Yes
Fragrance strength: Medium
Flowering time: July, August, September
Flowering season: High summer, Late summer and autumn
Foliage colour: Grey-green
Height: 80 cm
Spread: 50 cm
Habit: Bushy
Position: Sun
Suitable for: Bed, Bed edge and border, Pot and container, Rock garden, Wildlife garden and meadow, Cottage garden, Cutting garden
Soil type: Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy
Drainage: Well-drained
Soil moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Neutral
Soil note: Suitable for many Swiss garden soils. A loose structure and good drainage matter more than a particular soil type.
Water needs: Medium
Planting time: March, April, May, September, October
Planting depth: Just cover the root collar
Spacing: 35–50 cm
Number per m²: 4
Hardiness in Switzerland: Hardy in Switzerland
Hardiness by location: Hardy in Switzerland (low and medium altitudes)
Hardiness zone (USDA): 4–9
Overwintering note: Generally hardy in garden soil in Switzerland. At high, windy sites and in containers, plan extra winter protection and avoid winter wet.
For containers: Only partly suitable for containers
Container note: Only recommended in a sufficiently large, stable, well-drained container.
Cut flower: Suitable as a cut flower
Naturalising: Not suitable
Naturalising note: Persists for several years in a suitable spot, but does not normally spread over larger areas on its own.
For bees and butterflies: Pollinator-friendly
RHS hardiness: H6