Anise Hyssop
a.k.a Licorice Mint
An erect, branched perennial herb with opposite, toothed leaves and square stems. It is a member of the mint family, and has a pleasant anise-like aroma. The leaves are ovate-triangular, green above and with soft grey hairs below. Flowers are purple-blue, two-lipped, in a dense terminal spike 4 - 8 cm long. It blooms from June to September. It grows up to 1 m tall.Available late Summer - early Fall.
Edible Uses Medicinal Uses
Anise hyssop has been used by North American First Nations people as a breath-freshener, as a tea and as a sweetener. It is also a good source of nectar, yielding a fine, mildly anise-tasting honey.The fresh green leaves are decorative in salads and floating on drinks and summery bowls.
Tea from fresh or dried leaves; use 2 tsps of the fresh and 1 tsp of the dried and steep for 7 to 10 minutes.
Florets and fresh leaves for salads and garnishes.
Leaves as seasoning.
Used by Native Americans as a tea and as a seasoning. Was used as a beverage particularly by Native Americans in Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Use to replace Anise seed in a recipe: make a strong tea using 2 tsps of dried leaves in 1 C. of water; replace half of liquid in recipe with the tea.
Leaves may be used fresh or dried.
An infusion of the herb was used for chest pains, and the roots were used for coughs. Agastache is used in Chinese prescriptions for heatstroke, headache, fever, and angina. Leaves are used as poultices for sores.
Leaf tea has been used for fevers, colds, coughs, to induce sweating and to strengthen a weak heart.
Root was used by the Chippewa in lung formulas.
