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Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop

Agastache urticifolia

Last reviewed: September 2026

Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop (Agastache urticifolia)
Photo: (c) Tim Messick, some rights reserved (CC BY)

Toxicity unknown

Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop (Agastache urticifolia) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

The USDA PLANTS Database (opens in new tab) does not flag Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop as toxic to livestock.

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

24"–60" H × 12"–24" W

Bloom

Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Native to

CA, CO, MT, NV and 3 more states

Pollinators

bees, butterflies, hummingbirds

Before you buy

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Northwestern Forested MountainsSierra NevadaCentral California Foothills and Coastal MountainsSouthern California MountainsNorth American DesertsCentral Basin and RangeSouthern Rockies

Nettleleaf giant hyssop is a tall native perennial with upright stems and spikes of small white to pale purple flowers. It blooms from June through September and goes dormant in winter, returning each spring from its root system.

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How to care for Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop, by region

How to care for Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop where it is actually grown: year-round basics plus what to do each season, region by region, with the sources for each.

Care guidance last updated: October 2026

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Wasatch and Uinta Mountains (includes Logan, UT)

Year-round

Nettleleaf giant hyssop likes moist, well-drained soil and is not a dry-garden plant.

  • It prefers moist, sandy or loamy, well-drained soil and is not drought tolerant.
  • It reaches up to 5 feet tall in shade but only about 1 foot in full sun.
  • It is a perennial with creeping rhizomes, so it can slowly spread.

Give it room or edge the bed, since the rhizomes creep outward.

Fall

Fall is when the seeds ripen.

  • Seeds ripen in September.
  • Leave a few seed heads in place if you want it to self-sow.

Winter

Winter is a rest period for a perennial that regrows from its roots.

  • It is a perennial with creeping rhizomes, so it comes back from the roots each year.
  • In the wild it grows at 6,000 to 10,000 feet, which suggests it handles cold.

Spring

Spring is the time to set it in the right soil and light.

  • Pick sandy or loamy soil that drains well.
  • Expect a taller plant in shade and a shorter one in full sun.

Summer

Summer is bloom time, and it wants steady moisture.

  • It flowers in summer with pale blue blooms in whorled clusters up to 8 inches long.
  • It prefers moist soil and is not drought tolerant, so do not let it dry out.

Sources: Utah State University Extension: Horsemint (Agastache urticifolia)

In an HOA neighborhood

Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

  • Height up to 5 feet may appear too wild for front yards
  • Dies back completely in winter leaving bare stems
  • Natural growth habit lacks formal garden structure

Wildlife value

This plant is excellent for pollinators, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds throughout its long blooming season. The flowers provide nectar while the seeds feed birds in fall.

Common questions

How much sun does Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop need?
Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop bloom?
Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop blooms in June, July, August, and September.
Where is Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop native?
Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop (Agastache urticifolia) is native to CA, CO, MT, NV and 3 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
Is Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop toxic to livestock?
The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop as toxic to livestock.
What pollinators does Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop attract?
Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop draws bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Is Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop HOA-friendly?
Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

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