I'm new to growing agastache. If I deadhead them, will they re-bloom?
Many thanks!
Liz
Agastache re-bloom?
Liz,
I dead head mine, and they are constantly in bloom. I have about 6 different ones. Also it helps to keep them from getting leggy. Here in Florida both Agastaches and Salvia's will get leggy if not "deheaded" or out right cut back several times a year. Not sure about CA, but I'm sure someone will chime in. Rich ?
The ones I have generally bloom all season long so I don't deadhead them--they're still going strong now and will keep going until winter. I do cut them back every spring but other than that I leave them alone.
Agastaches are usually so vigorous that you won't need to deadhead them, except for appearance. This should be true along the Front Range, in California, and in other similar climatic zones.
Trimming might help in subtropical areas, but much of the seed has already ripened in the spike when the last flowers have faded.
The blue, dense headed spike forms of subgenus Agastache (northern and Korean forms) are very good seed producers. Subgenus Brittonastrum (sw USA and northern Mexico, with yellow to red tubular flowers in open spikes) produce relatively little seed.
Thanks very much mjsponies & ecrane. I'll treat them like my salvia, then.
Ecrane, I live across the bay from you & my agastache died back completely last year & grew again in the spring, but I just planted them last October, so perhaps they'll hang in there this winter. Last fall, they bloomed until winter & I really enjoyed that!
Thanks again!
Liz
Thanks Rich - we cross posted - they really are easy care, aren't they? I only have two, but will definitely get more - they're perfect for my xeriscape garden!
Sorry, I should have been more clear on what I was cutting back--the ones I have are herbaceous so they're supposed to die back every year--what I'm cutting back in the spring is really the past year's leftover stalks. But that's the only thing I've ever done to them. I'm not sure if they all behave the same or not--I pretty much only grow the ones with the orangey tubular flowers.
Thanks Ecrane!
Does anyone find they do better in partial sun in the extreme heat. I've tried them once and it burned up in our summer heat. But I found that Echinacia do better in some afternoon shade for me, so was wondering if Agastache would too.
If they fry in the sun then it's definitely worth trying giving them a bit of shade during the heat of the day. They do fine here in full sun, but we don't have as many 100 degree+ days as you do.
It may just depend on the variety too. My Apricot Sprite and Honey Bee Blue and a white one that I don't know what is do fine in the full sun here. So does Black Adder. But my Purple Pygmy, Tutti Fruiti, Golden Jublie, and a couple others I have seem to like some shade during the day. Some are planted near taller plants that gives them just a bit of protection and that seems to do just fine too.
mjsponies, I'm going to write down those varieties and try and get some of those. Your heat and humidity are pretty similar, just the dry conditions make it different I think. I'm learning that full sun does not always mean full Txas sun and it is worth a try to give plants some afternoon shade, especially in the summer....
teacup,
Yup, "most" of my salvia's get some shade for part of the day. Even the ones which are recommend for hot humid environments ( as in the New Book of Salvia's) I try to give a little shade somewhere in the day. Now, that being said, it doesn't mean I won't try to push it sometimes w/ plants that are not supposedly to do well, as long as they don't require really cool temps. No harm and sometimes a nice surprise to try something "close" and then see where you could work it in. Course that only really works if you have time to fiddle w/ them. If not, I'd certainly not pursue a lot of the plant that I do.
In my climate,, morning sun, some dappled noon sun, then shade for hot afternoons. and of course these nice rains we are finally getting. I am going to cut my agastaches back since they are falling all over.
E