Agastache aurantiaca Apricot Sprite

'Apricot Sprite' Agastache aurantiaca is an interesting variety of golden Agastache for its more compact habit and its endless orange flowering. This bushy perennial has a pleasantly aromatic grey-green foliage, with a minty fragrance that fills the borders. Its airy and honey-scented flowering in warm tones perfectly complements yellow, white, red, or dark purple flowers. Ideal for flowering borders, edges, and pots, this perennial does not live very long, but it easily self-seeds.

The golden Agastache, in Latin Agastache aurantiaca, grows spontaneously in northern Mexico and southwest United States. It is a species with tubular flowers that is pollinated by hummingbirds in its natural habitat. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, rich in plants producing essential oils. These substances protect them from herbivorous animals and the sun's rays. The golden Agastache is no exception: its highly aromatic foliage releases a powerful minty scent that delights the nostrils and repels pests! The flowers are also edible. Its hardiness (-7 to -10 °C (19.4 to 14°F) approximately) is better than in other Agastache species.

The 'Apricot Sprite' variety is a compact selection that will not exceed 50cm (20in), more or less depending on the soil and climate. It forms a bushy and ligneous tuft with an upright habit. Its growth is fast, reaching maturity in a few months. Its branched stems are adorned with grey-green leaves on the top and whitish on the underside. They are thin and elongated, with roughly dentate edges, pubescent, and release a fragrance blending mint and anise. This plant is mainly cultivated for the transparent and airy beauty of its floral spikes that appear during the summer, from July to October. The small bilabiate tubular flowers, resembling those of sage or lobelia, are grouped in terminal spikes in vibrant apricot, orange, and salmon shades.

'Apricot Sprite' Agastache appreciates full sun or light shade (otherwise its stems will droop). If its original habitat provides it with some resistance to hot climates and drought episodes, it will be more beautiful and fuller if the summer is not too arid. Agastaches are perennials with a rather short lifespan: don't think you did something wrong if your plant disappears after 3 to 5 years, it's its normal cycle. In principle, it will not be difficult for you to collect some self-seeds around. And who knows, maybe you will find among the offspring a plant with interesting characteristics! In a pot, make sure to water regularly, and it will generously reward you until autumn.

In a field of plants, 'Apricot Sprite' Agastache will form a beautiful colour combination with 'Gold Nugget' Sempervivum, which takes on warm colours in winter, 'Terracotta' Yarrow, Delosperma 'Wheels of Wonder Orange', or even 'Hot Papaya' Echinacea, for example.