Pair agastache with plants that share full sun and sharp drain. Keep the spikes with daisies or a grass, not a bog planting.
Share full sun and sharp drain
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Light | The same full sun | A shade plant that hides the spikes |
| Water | Even, then dry-lean once settled | A partner that needs constant wet |
| Roles | One spike, one daisy or grass | Three thirsty annuals in the same wet clay |
Partners have to live the same summer: heat, sun, and a crown that dries. [1] A hosta or iris that wants wet feet will rot the agastache long before the daisy looks unhappy. Keep those in a different bed. Lavender fails in the same wet clay, so it is a fair partner only where both already drain.
What plants go well with agastache?
Echinacea or rudbeckia for daisy color, salvia or lavender for another spike, and a grass that wants drain — not hostas.
Spikes, daisies, and grasses
- Spikes — Blue Fortune with Caradonna or Hidcote in the same sun. [2]
- Daisies — Magnus for a cone that keeps blooming as agastache spikes age. [3]
- Grasses — Karl Foerster or Northwind for a dry frame; Neon for late summer. [4]
Give the tall hybrid mid-border room. Compact Kudos can sit closer to the path. Do not jam a wet iris against the agastache crown. Echo one spike color and one daisy, not four competing heights in a three-foot bay. Grasses should stay as a frame, not a wet meadow sedge. Leave a hand of open soil at the agastache crown so winter rain can leave.
Can I plant lavender with agastache?
Yes if both have sun and drain. Lavender fails in the same wet clay that kills agastache.
What to leave out of the bed
- A shade plant that wants a north wall.
- Water hyssop or a pond marginal.
- A rich, wet annual mix that never dries.
- Garden hyssop as if it were this genus.
Culture stays on How to Grow Agastache.
Share sun and drain. One spike, one daisy or grass. Skip a wet partner at the crown.
FAQ
Do hummingbirds like agastache?
Yes — especially the tubular western types. Pairing still starts with sun and drain, not a bird list.
Can hostas sit with agastache?
No. Hostas want shade and moisture. Agastache wants sun and a dry crown.
Do deer eat the companions too?
Agastache is often left alone. Echinacea and salvia vary. Plan for deer if pressure is high.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/agastache/ - [2] Clemson HGIC -
https://hgic.clemson.edu/anise-hyssop/ - [3] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/agastache-foeniculum/ - [4] UF/IFAS Extension -
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/nassauco/2017/05/29/fact-sheet-anise-hyssop/
This note is part of Agastache Guides.
More neighbour shortlists by plant live in Companion Plant Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors