That's wonderful news, Penny. Thank you. I'll let you know next year how my 2005-sown agastache does. However, here in Albany, we are in zone 5, not 6 like you.

Strangely enough, I haven't seen any sign of my agastache 'honey bee blue' which was supposed to be hardy to zone 5. Maybe, I need more patience. My agastache neomexicana 'lavender haze' plants (said to be hardy to zone 7) all have rosettes of new growth already. Interesting!
Looking forward to my 'apricot sprites',
Anne-Marie

I had to go check again my 'honey bee blue'.. and it IS alive!! Was looking for the rosette of leaves (like that of my other agastache, which developed in the fall and never really died, I think), but when I scraped the soil slightly around the plant, I found much growth coming up! Patience is not my virtue!!!

Anne-Marie

Anne Marie
Patience isn't my best virtue either. In fact I wasn't blessed with any Patience that is. I seem to spend all my time looking digging and watching to see what is or isn't imerging and if I don't see something I am out trying to find a new one to replace it ASAP.

I just bought a Honey Bee blue at walmart even though I sowed seeds. I couldn't pass it up for $1.92. I got it right after they came in on the truck so it was in good shape unlike everything else that they have already killed from not watering! It is about 18 inches tall. I haven't planted it out yet as we are suppoed to get a couple of nights down to about 30 degrees so I just put it in a larger container and watered it really well until it can go out in the garden.

A. Foeniculum seeds have germinated so I am looking forward to seeing it in the garden this year.

Penny

Can you plant agastache in a (large) container?

I'd feel better trying more of these plants if I could place them in the unheated garage over the winter with the roses and azalea kept in large containers. I've never seen a full height picture of an agastache plant- the gardening catalogs like to show closeups with hummingbirds. Might the plant be too rangey-looking for a container? I know they crave good drainage, but what are their root systems like? Wide and shallow or tap-root like? (Thinking that because they can be used in a xeric garden they probably have deep root systems...not as good for containers.)

Misstish,
My Apricot Sprite is an excellent container plant because it stays about 18-20 inches tall. Most do get quite tall.

Here is a picture of my first Apricot Sprite from last year

{{gwi:1324422}}

Penny

Ooooh, oooh, oooh! Thank you! I'm sold!

Misstish,
There are many 'agastaches', all as beautiful as the other, but some are too tall for a container. Agastache 'Honey Bee Blue" is about 2 feet high. The beauty of it is that it starts blooming very early (at about one foot high) and keeps blooming well until fall. Also, as it blooms first year, you don't even have to worry about over wintering it. A zone 5 hardy plant may not make it in a pot in an un-heated garage. It is very compact, and, I think, would look great in a big container. Same for 'Lavender Haze'(leaves have an amazing lavender fragrance) and 'Apricot Sprite' as Penny's picture shows (it will be my first year with Apricot Sprite). If you need plants, I have many seedlings of all 3 varieties (probably ready in 3-4 weeks)... and we are neighbors. Let me know. Are you going to the plant exchange?

Pictures: Honey Bee Blue{{gwi:1324423}}
Lavender Haze:
{{gwi:1324424}}
If the pictures don't open, check my album.

Penny, --who could not wait for her own seedlings to grow, (speak of 'patience' LOL!)-
You will love your 'Honey Bee'!

Anne-Marie

Anne Marie you are so right! With sunny days and hummers less than an hour away I want to see stuff growing yesterday! LOL!
I can't wait for all my agastache seeds to sprout. Your plants are gorgeous!

Penny

Hehe... Penny! I have done the same, too!!!! LOL!
Anne-Marie

Anne Marie,

You'll be glad to know the seeds you sent me are doing well. I think I've got 4 or 5 seedlings going of each. Let's hope they survive hardening off!!! I'm so excited for Spring.

~Deb

Deb... Congratulations!! Happy to know that. I had such good germination with mine, that I have quite a few. Hopefully, they will survive the few days without care (no lights, no watering) as I am going to be away..
Nothing yet from my winter sown ones.. I think. Penny, has your WS apricot sprouted yet?
Anne-Marie

No mine hasn't sprouted yet but those foeniculum are popping up all over my containers! I sent some of the Apricot sprite to Tenn. and his started sprouting a few days ago so we may need a few warm days for those to start popping. I was glad to hear that they are germinating for him since it was my first time collecting those seeds.

Penny

Whew! That's good to hear about no agastache sprouts. I don't have any of those or any salvias I Wsed. Penny's picture of her Apricot Sprite and her discussions on Salvia made me want to have some of both.
As long as I know all I need to do is wait, that's fine. I am putting several other Wsed plants in the ground now as we speak. It's quite a job, especially when the wasps and black flies are making early appearances! (blecch!)

My Agastache Foeniculum and Pringlei have both sprouted along with Salvia Azurea but htat is the only salvia that has sprouted so far.

Penny

I started Apricot Sprite under lights and all have germinated so I can't wait...im sure i'll have lots for the swap.