Mint, Korean Licorice

Agastache rugosa. Very delightful aromatic leaves for tea with a minty licorice flavor. One of Andrew's favorite herbs for tea, second only to wild yerba buena. The beautiful blue spikes of flowers can grow to 8“ long and provide excellent forage for beneficial insects. Blooms over a long period and especially well late in the season. Leaves are best harvested before flowering. We like them best fresh, but dried leaves are also good. Throughout the growing season it can be harvested like basil by coppicing the young stems for continuous regrowth and cutting.
 
Can be transplanted or direct sown into the garden in early spring. Plan for a semi-permanent position or move to a perennial location. Plants are hardy and can live for many years and are drought tolerant.
 
As a healing plant it can be helpful for cold symptoms and as an aromatic it can stimulate digestion, circulation as well as general energy. As beneficial insect forage Frank Morton of Wild Garden Seeds recommends pairing Korean Licorice Mint with Fennel for attracting and feeding beneficial insects, honey bees and birds bountifully in the autumn.
 
1/2 g packet ≈ 500 seeds. $3.00