Sunset Hyssop

This plant produces tubular flowers in a range of salmon-orange hues. Held by its purple calyxes, the flowers last throughout the summer. In addition to its beauty, the flower has a sweet, fragrant aroma reminiscent of root beer. For that reason, the Sunset Hyssop is often called the “root beer hyssop plant” or the “licorice mint hyssop.”

The Sunset Hyssop is on full display from early to late summer. The flowers emulate a sunset with bronze colors that feature hints of yellow and orange. You can even see streaks of pink and magenta along the margins of the plant. Throughout the summer, more flowers will emerge. This hyssop blooms heavily in August, and you can enjoy those flowers into the autumn. It will form an upright clump of slender, wiry, and branched stems that can reach heights ranging from 18 to 30 inches tall.

The Sunset Hyssop is native to the western part of the United States. It is also an attractive plant for hummingbirds. When the hyssop is in full bloom, these creatures enjoy drinking the sweet nectar of the plant.

If you have a hummingbird garden, then this plant is a must-have. Along with the hummingbirds, butterflies and bees also adore this plant. You can expect those visitors to show up to your garden throughout the summer months. This particular hyssop also works well as a perennial in those water-thrifty gardens. Many people choose this variety to add to xeriscapes.

The Sunset Hyssop has an upright spreading habit of growth, and it will add a delicate texture to your garden’s composition. In a mass planting, you can enjoy the variety of colors that are showcased with this hyssop.

While the Sunset Hyssop is an excellent choice for those garden areas, it makes a good selection for outdoor containers and pots. You can use this plant as the thriller in a spiller-thriller-filler combination for your container garden. You want to add the hyssop to the pot’s center and surround it with smaller plants that will spill over the edge.

The sunset hyssop does not require much water. However, it will need more frequent waterings when placed in containers than if it was planted in the ground. This hyssop provides eye-popping color and spiky texture to all your landscaping spaces.

With this plant, you will have to perform the occasional maintenance. The hyssop needs to be cleaned up in the early spring before it grows for the season. At full maturity, the sunset hyssop can reach 32 inches tall, and it will have a spread of 24 inches. This variety tends to be leggy with a one-foot clearance from the ground. You can underplant this hyssop with low-growing perennials. In your landscape, the sunset hyssop grows at a fast rate. It can thrive in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 10. Under the best conditions, you can expect the hyssop to live for five years.

This plant requires full sunlight for optimal health. It does prefer dry to moist soils. If left in standing water, the sunset hyssop will die. This plant is tolerant of droughts, and it is a perfect choice for a low-water landscape.

The sunset hyssop requires a specific soil condition as it has a preference for alkaline soils. It can tolerate soils with environmental salt. In some areas, it can handle urban pollution.

With the airy spikes of colorful tubular flowers, you will be thrilled to see this variety in your garden during the summer months. The flowers put on a beautiful display and make excellent cuttings for those floral arrangements. Along with the colorful hues, the leaves produce a fragrant scent. When you need a touch of brilliant sunset tones, make sure to choose the Sunset Hyssop for your landscape.

At Arbor Valley Nursery, we can help you find the right plants, shrubs, and trees for your landscaping customers. If you want to learn more about this Sunset Hyssop, please take a few minutes to fill out the contact form.