Agastache 'Kudos Mandarin'
Overview
Uses: Sunny borders, mass plantings, outdoor containers, hummingbird and butterfly gardens, cutting gardens.
Benefits: A hummingbird mint bred down to border scale without losing flower power. Dense orange plumes stand above a tidy mound from June into September, and the Kudos breeding carries real resistance to the downy mildew that historically ruined agastache in humid summers.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–10
Sun: Full sun
Life Cycle: Hardy Perennial
Growth Habit: Upright, mounding — low leafy mound with upright flower spikes
Bloom Color: Orange
Foliage Color: Bronze in spring, maturing to gray-green
Mature Height: 17–22 in.
Mature Width: 16 in.
Bloom Season: Early summer into early fall
Growth Rate: Fast
Summary
Older hummingbird mints asked for a lot of room and gave back a floppy, mildew-prone plant by August. 'Kudos Mandarin' is what happened when that problem got bred out.
The mound holds near 17 inches with flower spikes to about 22, tight enough for the front third of a border or a mixed container. Flowers are a clean mandarin orange, packed densely along the spike rather than scattered, and the calyces hold their color even after individual florets drop. That is why the plant still reads as orange from across the yard weeks after peak bloom.
Foliage emerges coppery-bronze in spring and settles into a gray-green that sets off the flowers. Crushed leaves carry the licorice-mint scent typical of the genus.
Hummingbirds work it hard, and bees and butterflies follow. Deer and rabbits consistently pass it by. Given sun and drainage, it asks for very little.
Care
Kudos Mandarin Agastache Care
Full sun. Six hours minimum, and more is better — flower count drops noticeably in partial shade and the stems stretch.
Drainage matters more than fertility, and it matters most in winter. Average, well-drained garden soil is ideal. Heavy clay that stays wet through freeze and thaw is the usual cause of losses at the cold end of the range; amend with grit or plant on a slight rise if that describes your site.
Water regularly through the first season while roots establish. After that the plant is markedly drought tolerant and prefers to dry between waterings.
Feeding is largely unnecessary and overly rich soil produces floppy growth. On lean ground, a single spring application of slow release fertilizer is plenty.
Shear spent spikes to encourage a fresh round. Leave the stems standing through winter rather than cutting back in fall — they shed water away from the crown and songbirds work the seed heads. Cut back to the base in early spring as new growth appears.
Container growing: use a free-draining mix and water when the top inch is dry, never letting the pot stand in water. Feed lightly every four to six weeks in active growth. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.
Size
What Size is the Kudos Mandarin Agastache for Sale Online?
Our Kudos Mandarin Agastache ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants may arrive with buds or blooms during the active growing season. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Kudos Mandarin Agastache Grow?
Expect a mature height of about 17–22 in. and a spread of roughly 16 in. in the garden. Growth rate is fast. If you have questions about spacing for your site, please contact us.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
Several are in regular use, listed from most to least common:
- Hummingbird mint
- Hyssop
- Anise hyssop
- Licorice mint
How is the Kudos series different from older agastache?
Two things. The plants are genetically dwarf, so they hold a compact habit without growth regulators or staking, and they carry strong resistance to downy mildew. Older agastache varieties often looked good in June and tattered by August in humid climates; that is the specific problem this breeding addressed.
Will it survive a wet winter?
Only with drainage. Agastache handles cold better than it handles saturated soil, and crown rot during winter freeze and thaw cycles causes most losses. Plant it high, amend heavy ground with grit, and leave the old stems in place over winter rather than cutting them off at ground level.
Do deer or rabbits bother it?
Rarely. The aromatic foliage is the deterrent, and it works on both. No plant is entirely deer proof under heavy pressure, but this one sits well toward the resistant end. It is a reasonable choice for an exposed bed alongside other Deer-Resistant Perennials and Grasses.
How does it compare to 'Kudos Coral'?
Same series, same habit and hardiness, different color. 'Kudos Mandarin' is a clear bright orange; 'Kudos Coral' is a softer warm pink-coral. They plant well together if you want a graded warm run through a border.
