Agastache foeniculum 'Golden Jubilee'

Agastache foeniculum 'Golden Jubilee' has one of the most remarkable leaf colour of any flowering plant. Bright gold-chartreuse. In fact, some garden designers employ it instead of chartreuse coleus, to stunning effect.
Originally bred by and developed in Japan, this particular cultivar was named to honour Queen Elizabeth II's 50th year of rule. In 2002 it celebrated the Golden Jubilee and it is still creating a big buzz in the horticultural world today.
.
Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' is a 45 to 60cm (18 to 24in) tall-and-wide chartreuse beauty that offers late-season punctuation and purple bottle-brush flowers which are a powerhouse source of nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects.
Moderately tolerant of most soil types as long as they are well-drained. The golden foliage emerges early in the spring and the plants retain their colour all season. The foliage is a fresh lemon-lime colour, which is very striking when grown in a garden full of the usual green coloured plants.
The purple-blue flowers come along in August and September and if deadheaded, Golden Jubilee will stay in bloom until the first frost flattens the foliage.
The colour combination is stunning, it's fragrant, it draws butterflies like a magnet, it blooms for a long time, and it's very low maintenance. Goldfinches and other small birds love the seeds in winter.

Agastache Golden Jubilee was named as a 2003 All-America selection winner and is also a Fleuroselect winner.

Sowing: Sow February to March or April-June.
Sow early in February-March under glass to flower September-October, or sow April-June to flower June-September the following year. Seed can also be sown directly in the ground in spring.
Sow under cover; sow in warmth to germinate; prick out and harden off in late spring. Or sow direct in autumn when soil is warm. Protect seedlings throughout winter. Likes rich moist soil and full sun.

Sow the seeds into cells or pots containing good quality seed compost. Sow finely onto the surface and press lightly into the compost, but do not cover, as light aids germination of seeds. Place in a propagator or cover with a plastic lid and place in a warm place, ideally at 18 to 20°C (65 to 68°F).
Water from the base of the tray, keeping the compost moist but not wet at all times. Germination 14 to 28 days. Once some of the seeds have germinated air should be admitted gradually otherwise the seedlings may suffer damping off.

Transplanting:
Once the seedlings have their first pair of true leaves (they come after the seedlings first pair of leaves) and are large enough to handle, Prick out each seedling into 7.5cm (3in) pots to grow on.
Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10 to 15 days before planting out after all risk of frost has passed into well drained soil. Plant 30cm (12in) apart.
To prepare ordinary garden soil for planting, add 5cm (2in) of gravel and 10cm (4in) of compost. Mix in well down to 30cm (12in). Dress plants with gravel to keep water away from crown to prevent rot.

Cultivation:
Agastache prefers free-draining soil but tolerates almost any soil and will cope with dry, poor soils very well. They can be grown in full sun but will take some shade if dry. As is typical of many aromatic perennial herbs, a 'tough love' approach works best—full sun and not too much water or fertil­iser. In fact, most plants will need little, if any, supplemental irrigation. In dry climates, a deep soaking every week or two during the summer growing season is adequate.
The sturdy plants will usually not need staking, but you may need to do so if planted in rich moist soils or in exposed positions. Although agastache already boasts a very long flowering period, usually until frost, the plants will be stronger and more floriferous if you cut back flower stalks as flowers fade.

Agastache are short-lived perennials, don’t worry too much if your plant keels over after three or four years, you haven’t done anything wrong. They will self-seed where happiest, but this is usually never enough so collect the seed to ensure that you will never be without.
Remember that when different Agastache species and hybrids are planted in the same garden, they will cross-pollinate. Watch for volunteer seed­lings, and weed out individual plants that don’t demonstrate desirable habit and flower colour.
A few Agastache species are not reliably hardy, especially in wet winters, but Agastache rugosa is one of the hardiest of the species, to around minus 10°C (-14°F). Take care when mulching hyssops, especially in wetter climates. In these areas, it is best to avoid mulching materials like composted leaves, lawn clip­­pings, and bark chips since they can encourage the growth of fungal and bacterial pathogens. Pine needles are a better choice, but a few inches of crushed-gravel mulch is ideal.

Plant Uses:
Cottage/Informal Garden, Flower Arranging, Flowers Borders and Beds.

Culinary Uses:
We do only just seem to be waking up to the herbal essences of Agastache. There are, however, around a dozen different species, some of which earn their place in the herb garden better than others. All have deliciously, spicily scented leaves as well as those lovely smoky blue or purple flowers.
Take one or two and chew them and you’ll freshen your breath with its clean, savoury flavour.
Pick young growth and sprinkle in salads, use to decorate cakes or float in drinks. Agastache added to your Pimms lifts it to a higher sphere altogether, or make a tea, the mintier ones, like A. rugosa, often have a better flavour, the crushed leaves smell strongly of mint or aniseed and are often likened to liquorice.
You can dry the leaves for potpourri and also flavour meat, specifically pork, with a uniquely piquant tang, either aniseedy or minty depending on the species you choose.

Origin:
Agastache foeniculum is native to much of north-central and northern North America, notably the Great Plains and other prairies, and can be found in areas of Canada. It is typically found in prairies, dry upland forested areas, plains and fields.
Agastache foeniculum is a popular herb, considered one of the 50 fundamental Chinese herbs. The plain species is a beautiful herb grown for tea, with large green leaves and spikes of blue flowers. ‘Golden Jubilee’ is a very showy variety with bright golden leaves.
Both have culinary uses if chemicals are not used in the garden. Tender early leaves are tasty in fruit cups, jellies or salads. Add tough older leaves to soups and other cooked dishes. Dried leaves may be used for a minty tea or for potpourri.

Nomenclature:
The genus name is related to the flower clusters. Agastache, from the words agan, meaning ‘very much’ (or ‘many’) and stachys, ‘an ear of corn or wheat’ referring to the shape of the flower spikes, so meaning ‘having many spikes’.
The species name foeniculum is a diminutive of the Latin word foenum meaning ‘hay’ and refers fact that the herb is scented.
This particular cultivar was named to honour Queen Elizabeth II's 50th year of rule, celebrating her Golden Jubilee in 2002 and is still creating a big buzz in the horticultural world.
Pronounced ag-ah-STAK-ee foe-NIK-yew-lum. Agastache foeniculum has the common names of Mexican Hyssop and Hyssop-Anise. Despite these common names, Agastache foeniculum is neither Anise (which is Pimpinella anisum, not even in the same plant family) nor Hyssop (which is Hyssopus officinalis), although the scent is the same as Anise.
Agastache foeniculum is also marketed as Agastache rugosa 'Golden Jubilee', Agastache x 'Golden Jubilee' and Golden Jubilee Anise Hyssop.
Syn: Agastache anisatum