Flower ID: IMG_4242.JPG-09-06-2024 Flower name (scientific): Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze PY: 1891. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) ah-GAH-sta-kee fin-ICK-yoo-lum Flower name (common): Blue Giant Hyssop Family name (common): Mint Family name (scientific): Lamiaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From the Greek words aga for good and stachys for spike, referring to the inflorescence. Specific epithet: From the Latin for hay, fodder, or fennel, with the latter use referring to the fragrant scent of the foliage. Common name origin: From the color of the flowers and the size of the plant. Hyssop has different meanings depending on the initial geographic region of its first use. In the present case, the name is most likely a carry over from plants in the genus Hyssopus, which were used in medical applications. The plant Hyssopus officinalis is commonly called hyssop. Flower description: Size: 0.3 to 0.4 inches (0.8 to 1.0 cm) Petal count: 5 Color: blue Other: flower arrangement, Spike Plant description: Size: 12 to 36 inches (30 to 91 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is opposite, type is simple Size: Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, cordate to broadly lanceolate (IL) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon Bloom time (typical): July to September Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Woods, fields, prairies, sun or semi-shade, dry to moist. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Agastache scrophulariaefolia (Purple Giant Hyssop) has a resemblance. The most direct way to differentiate the two species is to examine the calyx of each flower. A. scrophulariaefolia has a green colored calyx, whereas A. foeniculum has a calyx that is blue to lavender. The leaf undersides of A. foeniculum are white, whereas those of A. scrophulariaefolia are green. Ethnobotany: The Chippewa prepared a medicine from the roots as a remedy for cold and chest pains. They also used the leaves to treat burns (Densmore, pp. 340, 352, 1928). In this refernce Densmore uses the old synonym name Agastache anethiodora for this plant. The Cheyenne and Cree also used this plant to prepare medicines (Moerman, pp. 51-52, 1998). Several tribes including the Winnebago, Cheyenne, Cree, and Lakota used this plant for food (Moerman, p. 52, 1998). Latitude: 44.806542 Longitude: -91.529148 Altitude: 258.00 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Crawford, Dane, Douglas, Dunn, Marathon, Marinette, Oneida, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Washburn) Click here for distribution map In US: (CO, CT, DE, IA, IL, KY, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, PA, SD, WA, WI, WY) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NB, NT, ON, QC, SK) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: Stachys foeniculum Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept. (Pursh) 2: 407 (1813). Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Agastache anethiodora (Nutt.) Britton, Hyssopus anethiodorus Nutt., Hyssopus anisatus Nutt., Hyssopus foeniculum (Pursh) Spreng., Lophanthus anisatus Benth. Autonym: na Wetland Status (NC): Not listed Wetland Status (MW): Not listed