Your fav. Blue Agastache?

15 years ago

I grow the old regular kind, ?, the gold leaved one,and Black Adder.Of course I love the gold leaves w/ the blue flowers, but for fullness of flower heads, I do love the Black Adder. Plant Delights is touting Blue Fortune in their fall catalogue.I thought that was the name of the old standby but I must be confused. Any experiences/opinions with this one?

Thank you,

Mindy

Featured Answer

athenainwi

15 years ago

I've got Blue Fortune, Black Adder, and Honey Bee Blue. This year I bought Purple Haze and it is now my favorite. It's more of a purple-blue than the others. It ages better and has a longer flower than the others. My second favorite is Black Adder as the color is very good on that one too, but Purple Haze just looks better.

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Comments (10)

DYH
15 years ago
I have A LOT of Blue Fortune. Color-wise, it is too grey for me. Not blue enough...I've got to move it away from my Black & Blue salvia as the Blue Fortune really looks dingy beside that pretty blue.

How blue is Black Adder? Got photos? I really want more agastache, but in a good, deep purple or lavender or real blue.

Cameron

{{gwi:260596}}

Here is a link that might be useful: my gardening blog has more photos
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
15 years ago
I've grown Honey Bee Blue and pulled it all out and still keep finding seedlings of it here and there. Reseeds abundantly to say the least. I love the 'rootbeer' fragrance of the foliage, but just can't tolerate the reseeding. I thought I could keep it if I deadheaded before it went to seed, but never remember in time. I heard 'Blue Fortune' was sterile and wouldn't reseed. I like the color and habit of 'Black Adder' better, based on photos only.

pm2
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I am a big fan of the three plants (at least...) in this hybrid rugosa x foeniculum group. I have all three growing in my garden in some numbers this year, and they are all worth having, long blooming, and all slightly different in the garden 'Blue Fortune' -- definitely a GRAYISH-blue lavendar, it reads as lavendar from a distance but is the lightest of these 3 plants in color saturation and much less bluish than the others. 'Black Adder' -- though somebody said this was lighter than Blue Fortune above, to me eyes this is a darker more saturated color. Seems to be a little taller and more open than Blue Fortune (though that could be the cultural conditions partly). Has been through 2 average z5 winters here so I would say that it is also z5 hardy 'Purple Haze' -- this outstanding plant so far is the best of the 3 for me and the one I would choose if I could only have one. It has a pinkish cast to the lavendar blue, the flowers are slightly smaller and the spikes look a little finer, but the old flowers self shed better so it keeps a tidier, less rangy appearance through the growing season. Fantastic new plant. Some sources say z6 hardy, some z5, has not been through a winter here yet so I don't know. But I think it is of similar breeding background. For me 'Purple Haze' is one of the best 2 or 3 new plants this year. I will try to take some pictures of each of these because they really all are a little different, all fantastic plants. David
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laceyvail 6A, WV
15 years ago
I'm always baffled when I hear people describe A. 'Blue Fortune' as grey or dingy. It's a vivid lavender for me, and I love it. I have a line of 'Blue Fortune' behind a large planting of Achillea 'Fireland' mixed with a daylily in the same shades as Fireland. The 'Blue Fortune' looks fabulous behind them. I also have some in other gardens, and they too are a strong lavender. I wonder if the different claims have to do with soil or with strains of the plant.
spazzycat_1
15 years ago
I am one of those disappointed in the color of 'Blue Fortune', and I always wondered if I'd gotten hold of a seed-grown strain instead of a vegetatively propagated plant based on the rave reviews the plant gets on this forum. I also think the dingy color could just be the heat. I've noticed that those more satisfied with the plant color live in a cooler gardening zone.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
15 years ago
I was wondering athenainwi...are any of the blooms larger on one over the others? I am still curious if 'Blue Fortune' is the only one that does not supposedly have the reseeding issue? What is it about 'PH' that you prefer over 'BA'?
athenainwi
15 years ago
I think the blooms on PH are a little larger than the others. It's hard to describe. I'll see if I can get some pictures up later this week so you can see for yourself.

I haven't had any reseeding, but most of my plants are only two years old.
zephirine_lyon
15 years ago
How could you just pick a favorite???? ;o)
I grow BA and BF and love them both.
At times, it is true that BF does look greyish when it has already a number of faded spikes, but I love its soft lavender shade just as the deeper, more purple colour of BA...
Here they are, side by side, if you wish to compare...
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{{gwi:260601}}.{{gwi:260602}}

(I've ordered Alabaster and Ayala for next year! Just can't wait! Don't they just bloom for ages?)
Zeph
athenainwi
15 years ago
Sorry, I've been bad about getting pictures up. Anyway, I can report that Purple Haze is still blooming. It's beautiful. Black Adder had taken a rest (part of why I couldn't get a good picture) and then started blooming again a few weeks ago. Purple Haze has longer flower stalks although the individual blooms are a bit smaller than Black Adder. Color is very similar. Purple Haze's flower area is longer and slenderer than the other agastaches which often look like brushes on the ends and Purple Haze has a better transition to the flowers.
DYH
15 years ago
I recently bought both Purple Haze and Black Adder. Right now, they look the same to me with new blooms. I guess I'll see the difference next summer.

Where did you find the Alabaster? What color is Ayala?

I love growing agastache since I have full sun and a large deer herd!

Thanks,
Cameron

Your fav. Blue Agastache?

athenainwi

Comments (10)

DYH

prairiemoon2 z6b MA

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