Anise hyssop

Agastache foeniculum, A. rugosa

herb · infusion

Leaves with an anise and mint scent, fresh in a fruit salad or as tea; its mauve spikes are edible too.

Origin

North America

Where to find it

Wild in the prairies of the northern Great Plains, where the Cheyenne and Lakota made a drink from it; in Europe, it is mostly picked in the garden, where it self-seeds.

Season (United States)

June to September · grows in your region

Preparation

The fresh leaves and flowers are snipped at the last moment; for tea, one teaspoon of dried leaves steeps for five minutes.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted Rosmarinic acid · Lutein and zeaxanthin · Chlorophyll

Did you know?

Bees love it: its spikes stay in flower all summer.