LinBow / CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
Obedient plant
Physostegia virginiana
Overview
Named for the curious trait of its flowers staying put when pushed to a new position on the spike, obedient plant is a vigorous native perennial with showy pink to lavender snapdragon-like blooms. It provides late-summer color when many other plants are fading and is a reliable source of nectar for bees and hummingbirds. It spreads enthusiastically by rhizomes — give it room or contain it.
== Description == The obedient plant, Physostegia virginiana, is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial that produces clumps of stiff, square stems 2–4 ft tall. The lanceolate leaves are toothed. The inflorescence is a long, dense raceme containing many tubular pink flowers resembling snapdragons. The open fruit is vase-shaped and contains four triangular, black seeds.
== Taxonomy == Two subspecies are recognized:
- Physostegia virginiana ssp. praemorsa: Widespread further south, to Texas and New Mexico. It has larger flowers with sterile bracts below the inflorescence and lacks rhizomes. Found in dry upland sites such as prairies and glades. - Physostegia virginiana ssp. virginiana: Found further north and west. It has smaller flowers lacking sterile bracts and forms patches from rhizomes. Typically found in wetter habitats, such as streambanks and bottomlands.
Cultivars of P. virginiana often do not fit well into either subspecies and are intermediate in characters, thought to have originated from hybridization between the two subspecies.
== Cultivation ==
Growing Conditions and Care
Considered a good plant for adding late-season flowers to a garden. Fertile soils produce robust growth and wide spreading, and the plant may require staking. When it grows tall, it has a "tendency toward floppiness" that can be controlled with pruning. Can be aggressive and dominate a landscape.
=== Cultivars === Several cultivars have been bred for color variety. Some (agm) have earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:
- 'Alba' - white flowers - 'Crown of Snow' - white flowers - 'Pink Bouquet' - rose pink flowers - 'Rosea' - pink flowers - 'Rosy Spire' - lavender-pink flowers - 'Summer Snow' (agm) - pure white flowers - 'Variegata' - pink flowers, green and white variegated leaves - 'Vivid' (agm) - bright pink flowers
Growing Conditions
Habitat & Range
- Habitat
- Meadows & Open Areas
- Native Range
- Native to Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and 18 more US states; native to British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland... in Canada; also native to Alberta, Connecticut, District of Columbia and 7 more regions
- Native Region
- North America
- Cultivation Region
- Temperate regions
Botanical data via projectGAIA.
Companion Planting & Soil
Good Companions
Sowing & Propagation
Propagation Methods
Planting Calendar
When to sow, transplant, and harvest by growing zone.
| Zone | Action | Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold (1-2) | Transplant | May — Jun | Plant in spring; flowers stay where you push them on the spike — hence the name |
| Cold (1-2) | Bloom | Jul — Sep | Pink spikes late summer; good cut flower; attracts hummingbirds |
| Cool (3-4) | Transplant | Apr — May | Plant in spring; spreads aggressively — contain or choose compact cultivars |
| Cool (3-4) | Bloom | Jul — Sep | Late summer bloom; individual florets can be repositioned on stem |
| Moderate (5-7) | Transplant | Mar — Apr | Plant in spring; pink snapdragon-like flowers; vigorous spreader |
| Moderate (5-7) | Bloom | Jul — Sep | Bloom late summer through fall; deadhead to prevent self-sowing |
| Moderate (5-7) | Divide | Mar — Apr | Divide every 2-3 years to control spread; discard center of clump |
| Warm (8-9) | Transplant | Feb — Mar | Plant in late winter; moist soil preferred |
| Warm (8-9) | Bloom | Jun — Aug | Summer bloom; contains spread by removing runners |
| Hot (10+) | Transplant | Nov — Dec | Plant in fall; needs moisture; part shade in hot zones |
| Hot (10+) | Bloom | May — Jul | Summer bloom |
Uses
Other Uses
- Late-summer pollinator and hummingbird plant
- Rain garden and moist meadow planting
- Unique interactive flower (stays where pushed)
