Overview

Introduce a splash of vibrant color and a delightful fragrance to your garden with the Agastache Morello live plant. This captivating perennial, also widely known as hummingbird mint perennial, produces stunning, deep cherry-red flower spikes that bloom profusely from mid to late summer. The Agastache Morello is a magnet for hummingbirds, bees, and other beneficial pollinators, making it an essential addition to any wildlife-friendly landscape. Its aromatic foliage, which carries a distinct minty scent, adds another layer of sensory appeal to your outdoor space. As a starter plant, it provides a robust foundation for establishing a thriving and beautiful garden display. This North American native offers both beauty and ecological benefits, thriving in various garden settings.

The Agastache genus, commonly referred to as hyssop or hummingbird mint, is celebrated for its ease of care and long-lasting blooms. The ‘Morello’ cultivar stands out with its intense coloration and compact, upright growth habit, typically reaching 18-24 inches tall. This makes it an excellent choice for front-of-border plantings, rock gardens, or even container gardening where its beauty can be admired up close. The Agastache Morello live plant is a fantastic option for gardeners seeking a low-maintenance yet high-impact perennial.

Key Benefits

The Agastache Morello live plant offers a multitude of benefits, enhancing both the aesthetic and ecological value of your garden. Its striking appearance and beneficial attributes make it a popular choice for diverse garden designs.

• Attracts Pollinators: The deep cherry-red flower spikes are an irresistible allure for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, playing a crucial role in supporting local ecosystems and biodiversity. Planting this perennial helps create a vibrant and buzzing garden environment.
• Long Blooming Season: Enjoy a continuous display of rich red blooms from mid to late summer, providing extended color and interest when many other plants begin to fade. This prolonged bloom period ensures your garden remains lively and attractive.
• Drought-Tolerant: Once established, this drought tolerant perennial requires minimal watering, making it an excellent choice for xeriscaping or gardens in drier climates. It’s a resilient plant that conserves water and reduces maintenance.
• Fragrant Foliage: The leaves emit a pleasant, minty fragrance when brushed, adding an aromatic dimension to your garden. This unique scent contributes to a multi-sensory gardening experience.
• Low Maintenance: This robust perennial is easy to grow and requires little attention once established, making it suitable for both experienced gardeners and beginners. Its adaptability ensures a healthy plant with minimal effort.
• Versatile Garden Use: Perfect for pollinator gardens, borders, cottage gardens, rock gardens, and containers, the Agastache Morello adapts well to various landscape designs. Its upright habit and vibrant color make it a versatile addition.
• Deer Resistant: The aromatic foliage tends to deter deer, offering a natural solution to protect your garden from browsing damage. This provides peace of mind for gardeners in areas with deer populations.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Agastache Morello live plant is relatively straightforward, as it is a resilient and adaptable perennial. Providing the right conditions will ensure a healthy plant with abundant blooms. This red agastache plant thrives on neglect once established, making it a low-hassle option for busy gardeners.

For optimal growth, plant your Agastache Morello in a location that receives full sun, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. This exposure is crucial for maximizing bloom production and maintaining plant vigor. While it can tolerate some partial shade, flowering will be less prolific. The ideal soil for this plant is well-drained, sandy, or loamy. It’s important to avoid heavy, clay soils that retain too much moisture, as this can lead to root rot. Good drainage is paramount for the health of this hummingbird mint perennial.

Watering should be moderate until the plant is established. Once mature, the Agastache Morello is highly drought tolerant perennial and prefers drier conditions. Overwatering is a common mistake, so allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. It thrives in warm, dry climates and is hardy in USDA zones 5–10, making it suitable for a wide range of regions across the US. Fertilization should be minimal; avoid rich fertilizers, as lean soil actually promotes stronger blooms. A light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring can be beneficial, but is often not necessary. Deadheading spent flowers can encourage a longer blooming period, though it is not strictly required. Proper care for your pollinator garden plant ensures it will flourish and provide beauty for years.

Size & Details

The Agastache Morello live plant is typically shipped as a 3-6 inch tall plug, providing a robust starter plant ready for transplanting into your garden or a larger container. This upright perennial typically grows to a mature height of 18-24 inches (approximately 45-60 cm), with a similar spread, creating a beautiful bushy form. It boasts a moderate growth rate, establishing itself well within the first growing season and reaching full maturity within 1-2 years. The plant will bloom from mid to late summer, offering a spectacular display of deep cherry-red flower spikes. It is best planted in spring after the last frost to allow ample time for root establishment before the summer heat. This red agastache plant is delivered in a form that minimizes transplant shock, ensuring a smooth transition to its new home.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Agastache Morello live plant get? A: The Agastache Morello live plant typically grows to a height of 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) with a similar spread, forming an attractive, upright clump in your garden.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: This is primarily an outdoor perennial plant, ideal for gardens, borders, and containers in USDA zones 5-10. It thrives in full sun conditions outdoors.
• Q: How much sunlight does the hummingbird mint perennial need? A: For optimal growth and prolific blooming, the hummingbird mint perennial requires full sun, which means at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for, good for beginners? A: Yes, the Agastache Morello is considered a low-maintenance and easy-to-grow perennial, making it an excellent choice for beginners and experienced gardeners alike, especially as a drought tolerant perennial.
• Q: What condition will the Agastache Morello live plant arrive in? A: Our Agastache Morello live plant is shipped as a young starter plant, typically a 3-6 inch tall plug, carefully packaged to ensure it arrives healthy and ready for planting.
• Q: How long until it blooms? A: Depending on when it’s planted, you can expect blooms from your red agastache plant in its first growing season, typically from mid to late summer.
• Q: Will this pollinator garden plant survive winter in my zone? A: The Agastache Morello is hardy in USDA zones 5-10. If you are within these zones, it should successfully overwinter and return in spring.
• Q: What kind of soil does this plant prefer? A: This plant thrives in well-drained, sandy or loamy soil. Good drainage is crucial to prevent root issues, as it dislikes wet feet.
• Q: Does this plant attract beneficial insects? A: Absolutely! As a true pollinator garden plant, it is a magnet for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, making it excellent for supporting local wildlife.
• Q: Is the Agastache Morello deer resistant? A: Yes, the aromatic foliage of the Agastache Morello live plant generally makes it resistant to deer browsing, helping to protect your garden.