Georgia Gardener Newsletter Cool Plant: July 27, 2006
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Obedient plant is a very easy perennial to grow and one that I often recommend for a beginner gardener.
From late summer into early fall, lavender flowers are produced on spikes upwards
of 3 feet tall. Although somewhat bell-shaped in appearance, they more closely resemble the two-lipped
flowers of snapdragons.
Obedient plant makes a wonderful cut flower for arrangements and the name (a misnomer considering
its behavior) comes from the fact that the stalks are easily bent into desired directions where
they will obediently remain. In the garden, obedient plant can be somewhat of a thug. However,
since it's native and popular among hummingbirds and other wildlife,
I simply pull those that go out of bounds.
Grow obedient plant in full sun to partial shade in average to damp soil. In full sun it may
need more moisture, but I have not observed this to be necessarily true. If planted in rich soil
or fertilized heavily, the plants may grow taller and easily flop over as well as spread
more quickly.
Mix obedient plant with other late summer bloomers such as black-eyed Susans (as above),
white coneflower, goldenrod or swamp sunflower. Deer resistant.
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