Anise Hyssop

Susan W · Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:48 am

I know some of you grow anise hyssop for bee flowers and tea, so figured to get more input. I've grown from seed for a couple of years. Hasn't been wildly successful as plants. I have more started now. It starts great, and when potted up to 4" is pretty.

Is it annual or perennial? If annual comes back from seed or something. I will be putting more in ground this year in a couple of different places and see what does best.

rainbowgardener · Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:15 pm

It's perennial and seems to be pretty long-lived and hardy in my garden, but doesn't really spread much. This is my first time to start more from seed. My home collected seed seemed to have a fairly low germination rate, and the seedlings are moving slowly, but they are very pretty.

Joyfirst · Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:54 pm

You all make me want to get one too. So it is better to get a plant form the nursery then, if germination is low?

rainbowgardener · Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:29 pm

Define "better"?

Certainly easier and quicker.

My anise hyssop seeds probably would have done better planted outdoors in fall or cold stratified for indoors; I did neither, just plunked them in pots.

But for me it is satisfying to start my own from my own seedlings. I do have 9 anise hyssop babies under the lights downstairs, so even with low germination rate, I will have more plants than I need.

Susan W · Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:19 am

Thanks for input! I have 2 batches of seedlings going now and doing well. They are started in the 10/tray peat pellets. Sprout in 7 -10 days, and up to 4" pots within a month or less. One batch is in the hardening off flat now, other about ready to move up to 4".

I'll plant some and put the rest out on the table at the market, along with gifting some.
FWIW, the seeds are from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. If mine do this season will try to collect some seeds, and have SESE as the back-up!

Joyfirst · Wed Mar 13, 2013 2:34 am

rainbowgardener wrote:Define "better"? Certainly easier and quicker.

Well, it is fun to raise your own, but in my case, in my small community plot garden, I just have room for one anyway, and I would have to buy seeds, so cost would be about the same, and since I live in apartment, not so much space for seedlings either -I rather start something that can't be easily bought.
I am going to plant sale on Saturday in local highschool's garden, so I hope they will have some.