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Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop)

Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop)

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Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) pairs upright spikes of blue-violet flowers with anise-scented leaves. Small flowers open along the spikes over several weeks in summer, bringing color and insect activity to a sunny border or informal meadow planting.

Plant specifications

Key growing facts

Sunlight Full sun to partial sun
Soil moisture Average to dry; well-drained
Height 2–3½ ft in Illinois accounts; garden plants may reach 5 ft
Bloom season Midsummer into late summer; may continue longer in gardens
Show / hide ▾Native Landscaping Companion Plants

Build a layered native planting with grasses and sedges as a matrix, ground covers, seasonal flowers, and plants for texture. Explore the full curated Light Shade Tolerant list below. Match light, soil moisture, mature size, and spreading habit to your site.

Native Landscaping Guide — plan your planting

Hover over a plant name or expand Growing information for details. Short: under 2 ft · Medium: 2 to under 4 ft · Tall: 4 ft or more.

Light Shade Tolerant

Click the buttons below to expand a list of species.

Grasses & Sedges — Matrix Species
  • Curly-styled wood sedge (Carex rosea)
    Growing information

    Height: 8 in–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; subtle green flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Sun to shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Fine-textured clumps; height varies with growing conditions.

  • James's sedge (Carex jamesii)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 in–1 ft (Short) · Color: Green foliage; subtle green flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Average · Note: Fine-textured, low clumps.

  • Palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Green foliage; tan seedheads · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Note: Best in moist pockets; distinctive palm-like foliage.

  • Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
    Growing information

    Height: 6 in–1.25 ft (Short) · Color: Green foliage; subtle tan flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Plant in broad drifts; weave seasonal flowers through the sedge.

  • Radiate sedge (Carex radiata)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Green foliage; subtle green flowers · Season: Late spring · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Clump-forming matrix for moister woodland pockets.

Ground Covers
  • Big-leaved aster (Eurybia macrophylla)
    Growing information

    Height: 2.5 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Pale lavender to white · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Spreads by rhizomes; broad foliage forms colonies.

  • Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Green foliage; white flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes; foliage may go dormant in summer.

  • Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
    Growing information

    Height: 6 in–1.25 ft (Short) · Color: Green foliage; subtle tan flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Plant in broad drifts; weave seasonal flowers through the sedge.

  • Prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; greenish-white flowers · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Clump-forming foliage; use light shade rather than deep shade.

  • Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
    Growing information

    Height: 1.5 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage · Season: Foliage interest · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes.

  • Wild ginger (Asarum canadense)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 in–8 in (Short) · Color: Green foliage; hidden maroon flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Spreads by rhizomes to form a leafy ground cover.

Flowers
Spring
  • Bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Arching stems and nodding flowers.

  • Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 in–1 ft (Short) · Color: White · Season: Early spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Average · Note: Early spring accent; foliage may go dormant in summer.

  • Celandine poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Yellow · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Can self-seed where conditions suit it.

  • Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans)
    Growing information

    Height: 6 in–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Pale blue · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Average to moist · Note: In prairie-style gardens, use sheltered part-sun pockets; avoid hot, dry exposures.

  • Midland shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Pink to white · Season: Late spring · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Spring ephemeral; summer dormant.

  • Prairie trillium (Trillium recurvatum)
    Growing information

    Height: 6 in–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Maroon · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Average, well-drained · Note: Woodland plant despite its common name.

  • Sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 in–6 in (Short) · Color: White, pink or lavender · Season: Early spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist, well-drained · Note: Low spring accent.

  • Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue flowers; pink buds · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist · Note: Spring ephemeral; summer dormant. In sunnier gardens, use moisture-retentive soil and shelter from hot afternoon sun.

  • White trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)
    Growing information

    Height: 9 in–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: White, aging pink · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Moist, well-drained · Note: Spring woodland accent; allow foliage to die back naturally.

  • Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) — Part sun / partial shade
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Red and yellow · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Part sun / partial shade · Moisture: Moist to dry, well-drained · Note: Use part-sun or lightly shaded pockets in either garden group; seedlings benefit from shelter. Self-seeds into gaps; foliage can decline after flowering.

  • Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Pink to lavender · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Rounded foliage and spring flowers.

  • Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata)
    Growing information

    Height: 10 in–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Blue to lavender · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist, well-drained · Note: Low spring color between taller plants.

  • Yellow trillium (Trillium luteum)
    Growing information

    Height: 8 in–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Yellow · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Moist, well-drained · Note: Summer dormant. Native to the southeastern U.S.; not a Chicago-region native.

Summer
  • American bellflower (Campanula americana)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue · Season: Midsummer–early fall · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall; biennial that can renew itself by seed.

  • Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Lavender-purple · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry, well-drained · Note: Use brighter woodland edges; can self-seed.

  • Blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue-violet · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry, well-drained · Note: Upright, bushy form; best flowering in sun. Native to parts of the central and eastern U.S.; Chicago-region native status is uncertain.

  • Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–3.5 ft (Medium) · Color: Red · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Note: Needs consistent moisture; vivid red flowers.

  • Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Note: Needs consistent moisture.

  • Hairy wood mint (Blephilia hirsuta)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White to pale lavender · Season: Summer · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Airy flowers for the woodland border.

  • Nodding onion (Allium cernuum)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Pink to pale pink · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average, well-drained · Note: Nodding flowerheads; use brighter woodland edges.

  • Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Pink-purple · Season: Summer · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Use brighter woodland openings for stronger flowering.

  • Purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Purple-pink · Season: Early summer · Light: Part sun to light shade · Moisture: Average · Note: Best in bright woodland or savanna openings.

  • Starry campion (Silene stellata)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Mid–late summer · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Fringed petals add fine detail.

  • Sweet Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 ft–7 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Pink-purple · Season: Midsummer–early fall · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall; place toward the back.

  • Tall thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Average, well-drained · Note: Understated flowers and distinctive seedheads.

  • Woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)
    Growing information

    Height: 2.5 ft–6 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Yellow · Season: Summer–early fall · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes.

Fall
  • Big-leaved aster (Eurybia macrophylla)
    Growing information

    Height: 2.5 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Pale lavender to white · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Spreads by rhizomes; broad foliage forms colonies.

  • Blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Pale blue · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Airy fall flowers for woodland edges.

  • Blue-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago caesia)
    Growing information

    Height: 1.5 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Average to slightly dry · Note: Arching stems with clusters of yellow flowers.

  • Calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White with changing yellow to purple centers · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Can self-seed aggressively.

  • Drummond's aster (Symphyotrichum drummondii)
    Growing information

    Height: 1.5 ft–3.25 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Pale blue to white · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Part sun · Moisture: Average to slightly dry · Note: Can self-seed aggressively; best at partly shaded edges.

  • Elm-leaved goldenrod (Solidago ulmifolia)
    Growing information

    Height: 1.25 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Woodland-edge fall color.

  • Short's aster (Symphyotrichum shortii)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–3.5 ft (Medium) · Color: Violet-blue · Season: Late summer–fall · Light: Part sun · Moisture: Average to slightly dry · Note: Late color for open woodland.

  • Zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Yellow · Season: Late summer–early fall · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Spreads by rhizomes; allow room to expand.

Texture
  • Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 ft–7 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: White · Season: Early–midsummer · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Tall flower spires; place toward the back.

  • Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Blue-green foliage; subtle yellow-green to brown-purple flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Average · Note: Upright foliage and blue fruit provide texture.

  • Blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Blue-violet · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part sun · Moisture: Average to dry, well-drained · Note: Upright, bushy form; best flowering in sun. Native to parts of the central and eastern U.S.; Chicago-region native status is uncertain.

  • Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
    Growing information

    Height: 1.5 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Evergreen foliage · Season: Foliage interest · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Average to slightly dry · Note: Evergreen texture; needs good drainage.

  • Cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; cinnamon-brown fertile fronds · Season: Foliage interest · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Note: Best in consistently moist pockets.

  • Curly-styled wood sedge (Carex rosea)
    Growing information

    Height: 8 in–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; subtle green flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Sun to shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Fine-textured clumps; height varies with growing conditions.

  • False Solomon's seal (Maianthemum racemosum)
    Growing information

    Height: 1.5 ft–2.5 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: White · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Arching foliage; useful between low and tall layers.

  • Interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–4 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage; brown fertile segments · Season: Foliage interest · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Upright, architectural fronds.

  • Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green and purple-brown flower hood · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Bold foliage and distinctive flower form.

  • James's sedge (Carex jamesii)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 in–1 ft (Short) · Color: Green foliage; subtle green flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Average · Note: Fine-textured, low clumps.

  • Marginal wood fern (Dryopteris marginalis)
    Growing information

    Height: 1.5 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Evergreen foliage · Season: Foliage interest · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Average, well-drained · Note: Evergreen texture; use sheltered, well-drained woodland sites.

  • Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Green foliage; white flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Moist to slightly dry · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes; foliage may go dormant in summer.

  • Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage · Season: Foliage interest · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes; allow room for colonies.

  • Palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
    Growing information

    Height: 2 ft–3 ft (Medium) · Color: Green foliage; tan seedheads · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Note: Best in moist pockets; distinctive palm-like foliage.

  • Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
    Growing information

    Height: 6 in–1.25 ft (Short) · Color: Green foliage; subtle tan flowers · Season: Spring · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Plant in broad drifts; weave seasonal flowers through the sedge.

  • Prairie alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–2 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage; greenish-white flowers · Season: Late spring–early summer · Light: Sun to part shade · Moisture: Average to dry · Note: Clump-forming foliage; use light shade rather than deep shade.

  • Radiate sedge (Carex radiata)
    Growing information

    Height: 1 ft–1.5 ft (Short) · Color: Green foliage; subtle green flowers · Season: Late spring · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Clump-forming matrix for moister woodland pockets.

  • River oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
    Growing information

    Height: 1.5 ft–4 ft (Short / Medium / Tall) · Color: Green seedheads, aging bronze · Season: Summer–fall seedheads · Light: Part sun to part shade · Moisture: Moist to average · Note: Can spread aggressively, especially by seed; ornamental hanging seedheads.

  • Royal fern (Osmunda regalis)
    Growing information

    Height: 3 ft–5 ft (Medium / Tall) · Color: Green foliage · Season: Foliage interest · Light: Part shade to shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Note: Tall, open fronds; avoid dry sites.

  • Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
    Growing information

    Height: 1.5 ft–3 ft (Short / Medium) · Color: Green foliage · Season: Foliage interest · Light: Part shade · Moisture: Wet to moist · Note: Can spread aggressively by rhizomes.

Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
Growth habit Upright perennial; can self-sow
Root form Taproot

Plant identification & seed reference

Botanical name Agastache foeniculum
Other common names Anise hyssop
Plant family Lamiaceae

Where to plant

Choose full to partial sun and average to dry soil with good drainage. Plants are commonly described as about 2–3½ feet tall in Illinois accounts; garden accounts report taller growth, sometimes to 5 feet. Leave enough room behind lower plants for that variation.

Establishment & care

Self-sown seedlings may appear in open ground. Keep the ones that fit the planting and remove extras while they are small. Avoid a wet, poorly drained crown, especially through winter. The flower spikes suit repeated groups where their vertical shape can be seen against lower foliage.

Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value

State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.

Wetland indicator — Corps Chicago 2017 table Midwest: UPL; Northcentral/Northeast: UPL (USACE Chicago FQA 2017)
C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 0
Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 No
Native range — U.S. states Colorado; Idaho; Illinois; Iowa; Minnesota; Montana; Nebraska; North Dakota; South Dakota; Washington; Wisconsin; Wyoming
County nativity Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity.
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife

Bees & other flower visitors

USGS observations recorded the following insects visiting flowers of this plant in Minnesota. The records describe visits, without distinguishing pollen collection from nectar feeding or measuring successful pollination. They do not establish local occurrence, exclusive dependence, or a larval-host relationship.

Bees

  • Apis mellifera (honey bee) — Minnesota; 2015, 2016.
  • Bombus fervidus — Minnesota; 2016.
  • Bombus impatiens — Minnesota; 2016.
  • Bombus pensylvanicus — Minnesota; 2016.
  • Bombus sp. (genus only) — Minnesota; 2016.
  • Halictus ligatus — Minnesota; 2016.
  • Lasioglossum albipenne — Minnesota; 2016.
  • Lasioglossum anomalum — Minnesota; 2016.
  • Melissodes trinodis — Minnesota; 2016.

Caterpillars & other plant-feeding insects

This plant has published caterpillar host records for the butterflies and moths listed below. These are larval feeding relationships, separate from adult nectar visits. The records span a North American literature compilation and do not establish that every insect occurs locally or uses only this plant.

Moths

  • Herpetogramma aquilonalis
  • Herpetogramma pertextalis — Bold-Feathered Grass Moth

Wildlife relationships

Bumblebees and other bees gather nectar or pollen from the flowers. Butterflies and other insects also visit as successive flowers open along the spikes.

Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions

What are the ideal growing conditions for Anise Hyssop?
Light: Full sun to partial sun. Soil moisture: Average to dry; well-drained.

Is Anise Hyssop deer and herbivore resistant?
Species-specific deer resistance has not been verified here. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.

When should I expect Anise Hyssop to bloom?
Typical flowering period: Midsummer into late summer; may continue longer in gardens. Timing varies with location and weather.

Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes

Native range & ecological ratings: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), via Universal FQA; Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online; USACE Chicago FQA (2017).

Growing conditions & other references: Illinois Wildflowers, John Hilty; Minnesota Wildflowers; NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.

Wildlife records: Shropshire & Tallamy: caterpillar hosts (2025); USGS Pollinator Library.

Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.

Research notes & credits

Range data: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 4 June 2026 release, accessed 7 September 2026. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data. This use has no Kew endorsement.

USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication.

Caterpillar host records: Shropshire, K.J. & Tallamy, D.W. (2025), Lepidoptera of North America, Supplement 1. Contains information from this database made available under the Open Database License (ODbL 1.0). Natural Communities selected species-level records and screened source qualifications. The complete selection and transformation instructions for this page are available below under the same license.

Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.

Caterpillar research records

Plant: Agastache foeniculum

Record scope: Host literature synthesis; no county nativity or local insect occurrence inferred.

Shropshire & Tallamy (2025) · Original research dataset · Reuse license: ODbL-1.0

Plant names in the source Source insect record IDs
Agastache foeniculum 206836, 206842

How these records were selected

To reproduce this selection, use the “UDELep May 2025” worksheet in the original research dataset.

  1. Match the insect record IDs above to column A (UDLepID). Within each table row, pair every listed insect ID with every listed source plant name.
  2. Use the first two words in column H for the insect’s scientific name, column E for its common name, and column AB for its source category.
  3. Treat the selected pairs as reported caterpillar host records. Keep all other source fields unchanged and outside this selected table. Include no other rows or host pairs.
  4. Group butterflies and skippers together, and the other categories as moths. Retain the source’s exotic-category labels and sort display names by scientific insect name.

Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.

Planting references and review

Reviewed: 2026-09-26

Plant spacing:Species-specific spacing needs review. Select a spacing suited to your site and planting design.

Seeding rate: Use a site- and method-specific specification. No verified automatic species rate is supplied.

Seed preparation: A species-specific preparation method and named code system need confirmation for the supplied seed lot.

Plant Shipping & Care

We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.

As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.

 

Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories

  • Retail online orders: Plant and seed orders ship only, except eligible trees and shrubs offered for pickup. Shipping charges are calculated at checkout.
  • Retail pickup — trees and shrubs only: Pickup is available by prior arrangement for eligible woody plants. Some container options are offered for scheduled pickup only. Check the selected product option and the cart pickup instructions before ordering. Pickup and shipped items require separate orders.
  • Wholesale orders: Plants, trees and shrubs are available for pickup by arrangement. Delivery can also be arranged for your order. Wholesale pickup is free. All seed orders ship, including wholesale seed.
  • Pickup locations and dates are confirmed by email. Please wait for confirmation before traveling to a pickup site. Our offices are not retail stores or nursery pickup locations.

 

Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready

We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.

Wholesale Orders

  • Plant pickup and delivery are arranged for your order. Seed ships only.

 

Retail & Website Orders

  • Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
  • Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
  • Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
  • If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months. 
  • Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
  • Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
  • If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready.  In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments 
  • Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability.  We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish.  If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date.  If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
  • Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
  • Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.

Where We Ship

Natural Communities ships native plants and seed from multiple supplier locations across the Midwest. Shipping coverage extends beyond our local consultation area; see the shipping map below. Availability and delivery options depend on the product and destination. Check the product details and shipping options at checkout, or contact us before ordering if you need help confirming coverage.

Our on-site ecological consulting serves the greater Chicago region and southeastern Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee area. Consultations take place at your property by appointment. Our offices are not walk-in retail stores or plant pickup sites.

 

 

        What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery

        • Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
        • We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.

         

           Shipments

          • Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.

           

           

          What to Do With Your Plants After  Receiving Your Delivery

          • Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
          • Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
          • Water your plants
          • Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
          • If you cannot install your plants immediately
            • Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
            • Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
            • Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
            • No additional fertilizer is needed
          How to install native plugs
          View full details

          Solving a Site Problem? Get Expert Advice + Get Store Credit

          Whether you're fighting severe erosion, replacing invasive species, designing a pollinator haven, or seeding large acreage, choosing the wrong species wastes time and money. Talk 1-on-1 with a restoration ecologist to map out the exact species, plug counts, or seed mixes for your soil and goals. Book a consultation and get all or a portion credited directly back to your order.

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