Agastache rugosa has a long history of use in traditional East Asian medicine and cooking, where it is known as Korean mint or Indian mint, and the common name patchouli herb hints at the distinctive depth of its fragrance — more complex and slightly earthier than the pure anise of its North American relatives. Found in the wild along stream banks in the mountainous regions of eastern Asia, it translates readily to garden conditions, growing 1 to 3 feet tall with showy purple flower spikes that pollinators, particularly bees, find highly attractive.

Plant it in full sun in well-draining soil and give it room to spread — mass plantings along a border front or grouped in a cottage garden suit its character better than single specimens. It tolerates deer browsing and is drought tolerant once established. The combination of reliable performance, long bloom season into fall, and its genuine ecological value as a pollinator plant makes this an underused species worth seeking out. Zones 4 to 9.