Agastache rugosa
Agastache rugosa, commonly known as Korean Mint, is a tall, aromatic perennial that brings a delightful mix of colour, fragrance, and wildlife interest to the garden. With its slender spires of soft purple flowers and licorice-scented leaves, it’s a fantastic choice for sunny borders, informal planting schemes, herb gardens, and containers.
At a Glance
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Common Name: Korean Mint
Foliage Colour: Mid-green, aromatic
Flower Colour: Soft lavender to violet-purple
Height: 1m (3.3ft)
Spread: 50cm (1.6ft)
Flowering Time: July to September
Hardiness: Hardy in the UK down to temperatures of -10 to -5 degrees Celcius (RHS hardiness rating H4)
Position: Full sun
Soil: Moderately fertile, well-drained soil
Beautiful Spires and Scented Foliage
Agastache rugosa produces tall, upright spikes of tubular, lavender-purple flowers that bloom over a long period in summer. The foliage is beautifully aromatic with a sweet, aniseed scent that releases when brushed. Together, the soft flowers and scented leaves provide both visual and sensory appeal, making this plant a standout in mixed plantings and wildlife-friendly borders.
Attracts Pollinators in Abundance
This variety is a magnet for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects thanks to its rich nectar supply. It’s an excellent addition to pollinator gardens and a valuable source of food during the warmer months, particularly in more naturalistic or cottage-style settings.
Ideal for Informal and Herbaceous Borders
With its height and airy appearance, Agastache rugosa adds vertical interest without overwhelming its companions. It works well in the middle or back of a border, particularly when combined with grasses, echinacea, rudbeckia, or other upright perennials.
Growing Advice
Watering: Water regularly until established, then only during extended dry periods. It is fairly drought tolerant once settled in but will flower more freely with occasional watering in summer.
Feeding: Feed in spring with a balanced, general-purpose fertiliser. Avoid overfeeding, which can lead to leggy growth and reduced flowering.
Pruning: Deadhead spent flowers to encourage repeat blooms. Cut back the stems in late autumn once the plant has finished flowering or leave until spring for winter structure and wildlife shelter.
Dividing: Divide clumps in spring every few years to rejuvenate the plant and maintain healthy growth.
Positioning: Plant in full sun in free-draining soil. Avoid waterlogged ground, particularly in winter, as the roots are prone to rot in wet conditions. Suitable for exposed or sheltered locations.
Potted: Yes, Agastache rugosa is well-suited to containers. Choose a generous pot with good drainage and fill with a loam-based compost mixed with grit or perlite. Place in a sunny spot and water when the compost dries out. Feed monthly in the growing season with a liquid fertiliser. In colder areas, move containers to a sheltered spot or wrap with fleece to protect from hard frosts.
Low-Maintenance and Long-Flowering
Agastache rugosa is a robust and easy-care plant that performs well with minimal attention. It’s ideal for beginner and experienced gardeners alike, offering height, colour, and fragrance with a low-maintenance routine.
Perfect Companions
Pair Agastache rugosa with:
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Echinacea purpurea – for complementary colour and pollinator value
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Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ – for a striking yellow-purple contrast
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Stipa gigantea – for architectural interest and movement
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Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ – to extend the flowering season and provide softness
Why Choose Agastache rugosa?
With its upright spires of lavender-purple flowers, deliciously scented foliage, and exceptional appeal to pollinators, Agastache rugosa is a superb choice for gardeners looking to add colour, fragrance, and wildlife interest to sunny spots. Whether planted in borders or containers, it’s a graceful, easy-going perennial that will reward you year after year.
Buying Perennials from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we lightly trim back our perennials after flowering and trim them back at the end of the season to ensure that the plants remain neat and tidy whilst in the pot. The more tender the plant the less we cut back to help protect exposed stems from winter frost. Depending on the plant variety we will then prune back further in spring once the risk of the more severe frosts is over.
As a result, depending on the time of year you buy perennials, they may not look like images showing their ‘prime time’ in flower and looking at their best.
From late autumn onwards and dependent on variety, there may be very little visible above the soil except for a few cut back dormant leaves or stems. It is perfectly normal for dormant plants to look like this from autumn onwards, they will however burst back into life in spring.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
Perennials are described and classified differently by different gardeners but all would agree that they are plants that come into flower every year from early spring to late summer, the exact time dependent on variety and most die back to ground level in autumn and winter.
As for all plants, soil preparation is time well spent. Dig over the area to be planted ensuring that the ground is free draining. If not then you may wish to either consider planting in a different spot or raising the level of the planting area by adding additional topsoil, well rotted garden compost and/or well rotted manure. Add ‘Fish, Blood and Bone’ fertiliser or a high potash fertiliser to encourage good root growth and development.
It’s always a good idea to plant a few of the same plant together, we recommend planting in 3’s or 5’s to provide a bold effect but allowing them plenty of room to develop.
Always check eventual plant heights when planning borders to ensure that the taller plants are at the back (or at the centre of an island bed) followed by the medium and then smaller low growing plants.
Remember to deadhead perennials after flowering, trim back lightly in autumn as required to tidy the border and if necessary trim again in spring once the risk of heavy frost has passed.
If perennials get too big, start to flower less and less or if it seems to be dying off from the centre, consider dividing the plant but always check that the particular variety is happy to be divided and that you divide at the right time of year for the plant.
By using this simple guide and a little time, perennials can make an absolutely spectacular difference to your garden.
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