Korean mint (Agastache rugosa ”blue spike”)

What you should know: This durable perennial plant reaches a height of 80 cm., it forms multiple up straight blue-purple flowers and smells like mint and anise. The plant is compact and solid. The long blooming period lasts from June to October and attracts many butterflies. Korean mint is suitable primarily for aromatic gardens with perennials and rural gardens. It is also excellent for growing in a large pot. Pruning after flowering often contributes to re-flowering in the same year.

Use / application: Leaves are perfect for tea. Chilled or cold it is perfect for quenching thirst. You can tear off the leaves if necessary at any time. The strongest flavor is just before flowering. Because of their hardness leaves are suitable for drying, and can be used with vegetables such as carrots pumpkins and beetroot. You can decorate pudding or fruit salad with the flowers. Leaves provide minerals substances for the body and they can be taken as often as you like.

Origin: Native plant is East Asia, Japan, China and Korea

Propagation: Spread the seeds on fresh soil or moist soil substance, covered with a thin layer and maintain equable moisture level. Seeds can germinate also on regular garden soil.

Care: Korean mint loves bright and sunny places. Soil can be made more loose by adding sand, to ensure good irrigation. Put the plants 40 cm. from one another, so they could not interfere with each other due to their strong growth.

Hibernation: This perennial plant is resistant in winter and next year it becomes green again.

Successful cultivation of exotic plants

Here, normally we don’t have tropic growth conditions. However, production can be really easy with the observance of a few basic guidelines for care.

Neither garden soil, or soil for potted plants are suitable for the crop. Make a mixture of one-third potting soil, loamy garden soil and sand. This mixture may also be found in the market.