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Guava Lava Agastache
Agastache ‘Guava Lava’
Guava Lava Agastache is a standout when you want warm color, pollinators, and low-maintenance summer performance. The coral-orange flowers are bright without feeling harsh, and the mauve-pink calyxes keep the plant interesting even after individual blooms fade. Give it full sun, sharp drainage, and room to breathe, and it will bring hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies right into the garden.
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Coral-Orange Agastache for Hummingbirds, Pollinators, and Sunny Garden Color
Guava Lava Agastache Glows with Coral-Orange Summer Flowers
Guava Lava Agastache is a colorful, long-blooming perennial grown for its coral-orange tubular flowers, mauve-pink calyxes, and fragrant green foliage. Also known as Agastache Guava Lava, Guava Lava Hummingbird Mint, or Guava Lava Hyssop, this compact perennial brings warm, tropical-looking color to sunny borders from summer into fall.
The flower color is what makes Guava Lava stand out. Coral-orange blooms rise above the foliage on upright spikes, while the mauve-pink calyxes keep adding color and texture even after individual flowers fade. This gives the plant a longer-lasting show than flower color alone and makes it especially useful in high-visibility beds, containers, and pollinator gardens.
A Hummingbird Mint That Keeps Pollinators Coming Back
Guava Lava Agastache is an excellent choice for homeowners who want a garden that feels alive all summer. The nectar-rich tubular flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators over a long bloom season.
Plant it near patios, walkways, porches, and seating areas where you can enjoy the activity up close. Repeating Guava Lava in groups or drifts creates a stronger color display and makes it easier for pollinators to find. Its warm coral tones pair beautifully with purple Salvia, blue Catmint, yellow Coreopsis, pink Echinacea, Black-Eyed Susan, Yarrow, Sedum, Lavender, and ornamental grasses.
Compact Upright Growth for Borders, Containers, and Small Gardens
Guava Lava Agastache commonly grows about 20 to 22 inches tall and 22 to 26 inches wide, giving it a full, rounded habit that fits well into modern landscapes and mixed perennial beds. It has enough height to show up in a border, but it stays compact enough for containers and smaller garden spaces.
Use it in sunny borders, pollinator strips, cottage gardens, herb-style plantings, dry gardens, and patio containers. In mixed containers, Guava Lava works as a colorful upright filler or thriller, especially when paired with trailing annuals, silver foliage, compact grasses, or other sun-loving perennials.
Full Sun, Sharp Drainage, and Heat-Loving Performance
Plant Guava Lava Agastache in full sun for the best flowering, strongest stems, and most compact habit. It can tolerate very light shade, but full sun produces the strongest flower show and helps prevent stretching.
Good drainage is essential. Agastache performs best in average to lean soil that does not stay wet, especially through winter. Once established, Guava Lava is drought-tolerant and handles summer heat well, making it a strong choice for sunny borders, low-water gardens, rock gardens, slopes, raised beds, and well-drained containers.
Deer Resistant, Fragrant, and Easy to Maintain
Guava Lava Agastache is generally considered deer-resistant, thanks in part to its aromatic, minty foliage. The fragrant leaves add sensory interest to the garden and help make the plant less appealing than many softer flowering perennials.
Maintenance is simple. Deadhead spent flower spikes to keep the plant looking fresh and encourage continued bloom. In colder climates, leave some stems standing through winter to help protect the crown, then cut old stems back in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Avoid overwatering, heavy clay, and overly rich fertilizer to keep the plant sturdy and long-lived.
| Hardiness Zone: | 5-9 |
|---|---|
| Mature Height: | 20 to 22 inches tall |
| Mature Width: | 22 to 26 inches wide |
| Sunlight: | Full sun preferred |
| Soil | Average to lean, loose, very well-drained soil |
| Water | Water regularly during establishment; drought tolerant once established |
| Bloom Time / Color | Summer into fall; coral-orange tubular flowers with mauve-pink calyxes |
| Foliage: | Fragrant green foliage with minty, licorice, or anise-like scent when crushed |
| Ornamental Features | Coral-orange flowers, mauve-pink calyxes, fragrant foliage, upright rounded habit, long bloom season |
| Wildlife Value | Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, honeybees, and other beneficial pollinators |
| Resistance | Generally considered deer resistant; drought tolerant once established; heat tolerant |
| Landscape Uses | Pollinator gardens, hummingbird gardens, sunny borders, cottage gardens, dry gardens, rock gardens, containers, mass plantings, cut flower gardens |
How to Care for Guava Lava Agastache
Be sure to read our planting instructions to ensure a healthy and happy Guava Lava Agastache for years to come!
How should I plant Guava Lava Agastache?
Plant Guava Lava Agastache in full sun with loose, well-drained soil. Dig a hole about twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep as the container. Set the crown level with the surrounding soil, backfill with loosened native soil, and water thoroughly after planting. Space plants about 22 to 26 inches apart so each clump has room for mature growth and good airflow. Avoid low, wet areas or heavy clay that stays soggy through winter. If drainage is a concern, plant Guava Lava in a raised bed, slope, berm, rock garden, or container.
How often should I water Guava Lava Agastache after planting?
Water Guava Lava Agastache deeply after planting, then keep the soil lightly moist while the roots establish. During the first growing season, water when the top few inches of soil become dry, especially during hot or windy weather. Once established, Guava Lava Agastache is drought tolerant and usually needs less supplemental water than many flowering perennials. Water deeply but infrequently during extended dry spells, and avoid frequent shallow watering or soil that stays wet.
When should I fertilize Guava Lava Agastache?
Fertilize Guava Lava Agastache lightly in spring only if the soil is poor. A thin layer of compost or a modest application of slow-release balanced fertilizer is usually enough for healthy growth and flowering. Avoid heavy feeding. Agastache often performs best in average to lean soil, and too much fertilizer can encourage soft, floppy growth. Full sun, sharp drainage, and moderate watering are more important than frequent fertilizer.
When and how should I prune / cut back Guava Lava Agastache?
Deadhead spent flower spikes during the bloom season to keep Guava Lava Agastache tidy and encourage continued flowering. Cut individual flower stems back to a lower set of leaves or side shoots. In late winter or early spring, cut old stems back close to the ground before new growth begins. In colder regions, leave stems standing through winter for extra crown protection and beneficial insect habitat, then clean up once spring growth starts.
