Use & Care NotesCompanion Plants
Mango Tango Hummingbird Mint: Peach and Rose Spikes Up Front
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Mango Tango hummingbird mint is a shorter agastache with small tubular flowers that blend light peach and dusky orange, each held in a dusky rose calyx. From a distance the plant reads as a warm red-orange, and because the rose calyxes persist after the flowers drop, the spikes stay colorful from early July into fall. Brush the aromatic leaves and you get a strong licorice-mint scent.
Mango Tango at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Agastache 'Mango Tango' |
| Flowers | Light peach to dusky orange with dusky rose calyxes |
| Foliage | Small, toothed, aromatic, medium green |
| Size | 16 to 18 inches tall, 14 to 16 inches wide |
| Bloom | Early July, peaks early August, color into fall |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Wildlife | Excellent for hummingbirds, butterflies and bees; deer resistant |
Warm color at lavender's feet
Hummingbird mint and lavender are made for the same ground: sunny, lean and fast draining. Mango Tango stays compact, so it belongs at the front of a lavender border, where its peach and red-orange spikes warm up the cool purple behind it. It also picks up where lavender leaves off, blooming from July into fall as the lavender is harvested.
Bees and hummingbirds visit lavender in early summer and then shift to the agastache, so the bed stays busy for months. Lay out the planting in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Soil: loose, lean, gritty or sandy. Heavy, wet soil leads to root rot.
- Timing: plant in spring so it can root in before winter; late-fall planting is a common cause of loss.
- Water: through the first season, then sparingly. It has excellent heat and drought tolerance once established.
- Airflow: powdery mildew and leaf spot can appear in crowded, damp conditions, so give it space.
- Feeding: none needed. Lean soil keeps it compact.
Winter survival comes down to drainage
In Michigan, drainage decides whether hummingbird mint comes back. Plant it in lean, gritty or sandy soil, avoid heavy mulch over the crown and leave the stems standing until new growth starts in spring. Those old stems help protect the crown through cold, wet weather. If your lavender survives the winter in a spot, Mango Tango should too.
Containers and cut flowers
Its compact size makes it a good container plant for a sunny patio, especially paired with potted lavender. The spikes are rated good for cutting and fair for drying.
Frequently asked questions
Is it related to mint?
It is in the mint family and has aromatic leaves with a licorice-mint scent, but it does not spread like garden mint. It stays in a compact clump.
Can I eat the leaves?
Mango Tango is grown as an ornamental and is not recommended for eating.
How is it sold?
As a full 72-cell plug tray, suited to growers and larger plantings. See the product page for current availability.
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