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Lavender companion · grow guide
Hummingbird Mint / Anise Hyssop · Agastache
Give it full sun and lean, fast-draining soil. It handles heat and drought well but dies in soggy winter soil, so drainage matters more than anything else.
Check my zone & planting dates
Full sunLight
Low waterFast drainage
pH 6.0–8.0Soil
Zones 5a–9bHardiness
22″ tall26″ wide
ResistantDeer · rabbits resistant
Not known toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Guava Lava will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 5a–9b
Spring after frost is best so roots establish before winter. Avoid late-fall planting in cold zones; hummingbird mints need a full season to root in.
Your year with Guava Lava
When it arrives
Plugs arrive in active growth. Water the tray right away, set it in bright light out of harsh wind, and plant within a few days. If you wait, bump them into 3–4" pots. Harden off for a week before planting out, and keep the root ball moist the first 3–4 weeks.
Spring after frost is best so roots establish before winter. Avoid late-fall planting in cold zones; hummingbird mints need a full season to root in.
Set the crown exactly level with the soil surface, never buried. Plant on a slight mound in heavier soil.
18–24" apart, depending on variety size.
Sandy, gravelly or loamy; avoid heavy, wet clay · pH 6.0–8.0
Fix-it tip: In clay, plant on a mound or raised bed and mix in grit or fine gravel. Skip heavy compost and manure; rich, wet soil shortens its life. Don't mulch tight against the crown.
Full sun (tolerates a few hours of light shade, with fewer flowers).
6+ hours of direct sun keeps stems sturdy and blooming. In shade plants flop and bloom less.
Don’t give up on it
One of the later perennials to wake up. Expect new shoots from the base in mid- to late spring, often after other perennials are well up. Old stems may look dead; look low at the crown for green shoots before giving up.
Wait for new shoots before cutting old stems down.
Deadhead to keep blooming; water only in drought.
Stop deadheading; leave stems standing.
Keep soil on the dry side; no heavy mulch.
First season: Water when the top inch of soil is dry, about once a week, through the first summer.
After that: Very drought tolerant. Water only in long dry spells; extra water makes it floppy and short-lived.
Little or none. One light spring feeding at most; rich feeding makes weak, floppy stems.
Deadhead to stretch bloom, but stop by early fall. Leave stems standing over winter (they protect the crown) and cut back in spring once new growth shows at the base.
Rarely needed. Plants are often short-lived (a few years); let a few seedheads ripen if your variety sets seed, or replace as needed.
Hardiness varies: anise hyssop types (like Blue Fortune) are very cold-hardy; many orange and pink hummingbird mints are borderline in zone 5. Wet winter soil, not cold, is the usual killer. No fall cutback, no heavy mulch.
Thrives in heat and dry air and blooms all summer. In humid regions give extra air flow and drainage; leaf spot or mildew can show in muggy weather.
Plant did not come back in springLikely cause: Winter wet, or stems cut back in fall
What to do: Replant on a mound in gritty soil; leave stems up next winter
Stems flopping openLikely cause: Too much shade, water or fertilizer
What to do: Move to full sun; stop feeding; water less
Few flowersLikely cause: Too much shade or rich soil
What to do: Full sun, lean soil, deadhead lightly
White powder on leavesLikely cause: Powdery mildew
What to do: Improve spacing and air flow; remove worst stems
Yellowing lower leaves and a blackened, mushy base mean too wet. Wilting that recovers by evening is normal heat stress.
Not listed by ASPCA; no known toxicity reported. Discourage pets from chewing any garden plant.
Deer: resistant · Rabbits: resistant
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
Good in pots · 2 gallon+
Excellent in pots with gritty, fast-draining mix. In zone 6 and colder, move pots to an unheated garage for winter and water very sparingly.
Overwinter only
Not a houseplant. Potted plants can overwinter dormant in a cold, bright garage or shed.
Best after a cold winter
Not required to bloom, but a normal winter dormancy keeps plants vigorous.
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 2 gallon potTime to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Plant it right alongside lavender
A natural match: same full sun, lean soil and low water as lavender. Its spikes keep blooming after lavender's first flush and bring hummingbirds and bees.
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