Plant: perennial herb; 30-100 cm tall, with a woody caudex or rhizome; stems erect or ascending, 1-4 mm in diameter at midpoint

Leaves: triangular to ovate, 1-7 cm long, dull green above and below, the blades 1-2 times longer than wide; base obtuse or truncate to cordate; margin crenate-serrate; apex obtuse to acute

INFLORESCENCE: usually continuous, usually with 4-15 verticils

Flowers: calyx light green to pink or rosy-lavender, 6.5-13 mm long, the tube 4.5-8 mm long, not appearing plicate, the secondary costae thinner than the primary costae, the tooth tips not cucullate; corolla tube 8.7-15 mm long, pinkish purple, blue-lavender, or white; filaments usually glabrous, the upper ones usually exserted; anthers 0.4-0.7 mm long; style usually exserted

Fruit: NUTLETS 1.5-2 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, ovoid, with hairs at the apex

REFERENCES: Christy, Charlotte M. 2003. Lamiaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 35(2).

Duration: Perennial

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Subshrub

General: Small perennial herb, woody at the base, rhizomatous, to 100 cm tall, erect, branching above the base, stems square and gets bushy in favorable conditions, while the vegetation is fragrant.

Leaves: Broadly or narrowly triangular, to 7 cm with toothed margins, dusty green above and beneath, veins obvious on the underside of the leaf, opposite, generally not crowded.

Flowers: White to purple, tubular with a small lip and hood, 9-18 mm long, showy and tightly packed in a spicate, dense inflorescence, sometimes interrupted, calyx tube green, pink, or purple, stamens exserted.

Fruits: Tiny, ovoid nutlets with hairs at the apex.

Ecology: Found in moist, rich soils from 7,000-10,000 ft (2134-3048 m); flowers July-October.

Notes: This plant is a showier version of A. breviflora, with a wider variety of colors, larger, more prominent flowers, exserted stamens, and also can get to be a bit taller. This species is also used as an ornamental.

Ethnobotany: This species was used as an infusion to treat fevers and coughs, the root was pulverized and used to treat cankers, and the whole plant was used as a fumigant to treat deer sickness. The plant was an important food source, and its leaves were used during cooking as a seasoning. This plant was also used to protect against witches.

Synonyms: None

Editor: LCrumbacher, 2011

Etymology: Agastache comes from agan, "very much," and stachys, "an ear of corn or wheat," having many spikes, while pallidiflora means with pale-colored flowers.