Edible: Leaves, Seeds, Flowers, Leaves - tea, Spice
A perennial plant which grows to 1 m tall and spreads to 60 cm wide. The stems are erect. They are finely hairy. The leaves are gradually reduced upward. The leaf stalk is 1.5-3.5 cm long The leaf blade is heart shaped to oblong. It is 4.5-11 cm long by 3-6.5 cm wide. The spikes are compact. They are 2.5-12 cm long by 1.8-2.5 cm wide. The leaves near the flower are narrow. The flower is purple-red.
It is a temperate to subtropical plant. It grows naturally in valleys all over Japan. It does best in sunny positions in well drained soil. It is frost hardy. It can tolerate temperatures down to -5°C or -10°C. It suits plant hardiness zones 7-11. In Melbourne Botanical garden. It grows in Sichuan.
Common Names: Chinese giant hyssop, Huo xiang
Synonyms:
Agastache formosana (Hayata) Mayata ex Makino & Nemoto;
Agastache lophanthus Kuntze;
Agastache rugosa f. alba Y. N. Lee;
Elsholtzia monostachya H. Leveille & Vaniot;
Lophanthus argyu H. Leveille;
Lophanthus formosanus Hayata;
Lophanthus rugosus (Fischer & C. Meyer) Kuntze;
Cedronella japonica Hassk.