My Deer Garden

Plant record · Perennial

Is Threadleaf Giant Hyssop deer resistant?

Agastache rupestris

Threadleaf Giant Hyssop
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Perennial
Hardiness
Zones 5–8
Light
Full sun
Height
36–36 in
Bloom
Summer and Fall
Maintenance
Moderate
Native range
2 US states

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

About Threadleaf Giant Hyssop

Nothing about it is bulky. The leaves are narrow to the point of threadlike, gray-green, no more than two inches long, and they carry a strong liquorice scent that deer generally decline to investigate.

It is hardy to zone 5 and still dies over the winter, which confuses people. The cold is not what does it: in wet, heavy soil the crown rots. Sandy or rocky ground with very good drainage, a raised bed or a large pot solves the problem permanently. Digging compost into a clay bed to improve it does the opposite.

The flowers are burnt orange tubes held in purplish calyces, on spikes ten to twelve inches long, and it blooms right through the summer. Cut off the first flush as it fades and you will usually get a second round in fall.

Similar to Threadleaf Giant Hyssop

Other perennials with the same deer rating.

Where Threadleaf Giant Hyssop grows

Hardy across 49 states on zone range alone, and native to 2 of them. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.New York — hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Native and hardyHardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Threadleaf Giant Hyssop

Is Threadleaf Giant Hyssop deer resistant?
Threadleaf Giant Hyssop (Agastache rupestris) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Threadleaf Giant Hyssop grow in?
Threadleaf Giant Hyssop is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Threadleaf Giant Hyssop grow in shade?
No. Threadleaf Giant Hyssop wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Threadleaf Giant Hyssop get?
Mature height is roughly 36–36 in. Growth rate is moderate.

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Every list Threadleaf Giant Hyssop belongs to.

All perennials·Seldom damaged·Full sun plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .