I'm new here but I was reading up on some agastaches for next yr, it will be our 1st time with attracting hummingbirds & this one sounded nice: bubblegum mint (agastache family) from Dianeseeds.com
We've ordered from her twice for other veg seeds & flowers/herbs - great service, great germination.
Hope this helps! :) *agastache Cana* I think it is also called

"Posted by bobbygil 7 (rascal559@aol.com) on
Sun, Dec 28, 08 at 11:29

Hi..just got the Bluestone catalog and want to get some agastaches for the hummers. Does anyone have experience with any of the newer ones? Purple pygmy, raspberry summer or canna. Or does anyone just have a good favorite that the hummers like thanks bob"

I've planted a smattering of different plants, Agastache included, to attract Hummingbirds. Don't stay with one variety, get a bunch, then mix and match. Just make sure your watering requirements are similar for each plant.

For instance, I have Coral/Salmon Agastache , Apache Sunset Agastache , and Salvia Coccinea all grouped together. Everybody plays nice, it's a nice blend of colors, and I've got a lot of red, which hummers love.

Why order just a few when you can justify getting more than quite a few?

I grow Agastache 'Desert Sunrise', Agastache cana 'Rosita' and Agastache 'Acapulco Salmon and Pink'. The cana and Acapulco are used VERY heavily by the Rufous and Calliope Hummingbirds in my yard. Best part is they bloom from early July all the way through frost (mid October here) with a constant floral display. Many Agastaches like hot, full sun, and relatively dry conditions as many are xeric. Some are better for growing in more humid, wetter, eastern climates. So, choose varieties accordingly.

BN

This was the first year for me to have this plant , but what a surprise! Turned out to be the hummers favorite with blue ensign a close second. The plant was about 4and 1/2 ft tall. In the pic all the pink is one plant. (Agastache tutti fruitti)

{{gwi:283072}}

I haven't been over to this forum in years, it is nice to see such lively interest.

So where is the questioner from? Agastaches can be very tricky in a lot of the country. Here in the east where I am, they can slowly die over the winter because of damp conditions. Some years they start to grow in prolonged winter warm-ups and are killed by the next cold snap. Most of us don't have gardens of perfectly drained soil, sand really. They can be grown here but one has to put up with heavy losses, which is a shame. Agastaches only reach their real glory after their first year. They bloom the first year, but the plants will half as robust.

In zone 7a in southwestern NJ in well drained soil the following do well: Agastache cana, Agastache aurantica Apricot Sprite are the hardiest and bloom the first year from seed. Agastache rupestris is really cold hardy, although I haven't had much luck others have. Lastly, I don't rely heavily on Agastaches to feed hummingbirds. The Ruby-throats always go to the Salvias first. Agastaches are way down their list.