Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine | Agastache

Description

Agastache is a genus of plants found almost worldwide. Different species are used in several native cultures for healing. The best know of these is Agastache rugosa, also called the giant hyssop, wrinkled giant hyssop, Korean mint, or in Chinese Huo xiang.

Agastache rugosa is a perennial or biennial plant that grows to a height of 4 ft (1.2 m). It is native to China, but has spread to Japan, Korea, Laos, and Russia. It grows wild on sunny hillsides and along roads, but also can be cultivated in backyard gardens. The highly aromatic leaves and purple or red flowers are used for healing.

Several other species of agastache found in other parts of the world are used in healing. These include A. nepetoides (yellow giant hyssop), A. foeniculum (