Not Salvia, Not Bee Balm: The Licorice Scented Flower That Hummingbirds Can't Resist

When planning a pollinator-friendly landscape, you might find yourself reaching for the usual suspects. Simple options like salvia and bee balm are popular choices for hummingbirds, offering up a reliable splash of color and sweet nectar that keeps them hovering around your yard all season. If you want to shake things up a bit, though, those aren't your only options. Instead, try planting some Agastache rupestris 'Apache Sunset'; it's alicorice-scented flower that will transform your space into a hummingbird haven. 

Also known as threadleaf giant hyssop, 'Apache Sunset' is a perennial boasting some of the most exciting colors within the mint family. Sure, salvia and bee balm are beautiful staples, but 'Apache Sunset' offers something a little more interesting: lovely tall spikes of trumpet-shaped flowers that are warm, burnt-orange and salmon-pink. Those are some of the flower colors hummingbirds love most. These blooms are perfectly shaped for a hummingbird's long beak, ensuring the tiny fliers make your yard a frequent stop. While many spring perennials fade by the time the dead heat of summer rolls around, this plant shines from midsummer well into autumn, helping keep migrating hummingbirds fed.

'Apache Sunset' grows anywhere from two to three feet tall. Plus, its green-silver foliage is packed with aromatic oils, so when a breeze rustles it, or whenever you happen to rub the leaves between your fingers, it releases a fresh, minty-licorice scent. 

As a native to the mountainous, arid regions of the American Southwest, 'Apache Sunset' is a tough flower that'll return year after year in the proper environment. This hummingbird magnet thrives in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 9, making it feasible for a wide range of locales.

Because it's adapted to rugged conditions, it requires the right foundation in your yard to keep it healthy and bursting with nectar-rich blooms. The most important thing 'Apache Sunset' needs is ensuring it gets excellent soil drainage, so avoid soil with high clay content. It loves sunlight, too, so make sure you plant it somewhere with partial to full sun.

Once established, 'Apache Sunset' is a super drought-tolerant plant. In regions with regular snowfall, trim the top growth in late autumn, leaving four to six inches above the soil. You can also add a couple of inches of mulch to the base area to help insulate the plant from the biting cold. However, you'll need to stay away from mulching materials that can promote bacterial and fungal growth. Recommended mulching materials include crushed gravel or pine needles. 

You should only consider pruning more in spring, just a few inches above its crown. Spring is also when you'll scoop away any mulch.