Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Also listed as Dracocephalum virginianum
Also known as False Dragonhead, Virginia False Dragonhead, Obedience
Climate Match for your location
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An easy-to-grow perennial with tall spikes of pink, purple, or white flowers that can be repositioned on the stem when bent. It spreads readily and is excellent for cut flowers and pollinator gardens.
Why grow it
Obedient plant offers reliable mid-to-late-summer bloom when many other perennials are fading, making it useful for extending the flowering season in mixed borders. Its upright growth habit and long flower spikes distinguish it from lower-growing pollinator plants, and the flowers remain viable for cutting longer than many comparable tall perennials. Compared to other summer-blooming spikes like liatris or salvia, it tolerates a wider range of soil moisture conditions, performing adequately in both average and somewhat wet sites.
Watch out for
This plant performs best with moderate moisture and can become leggy or flop in overly rich soil or deep shade, requiring staking in such conditions. It tends to self-seed prolifically in favorable conditions, so deadheading spent flowers or monitoring volunteer seedlings may be necessary to prevent unwanted spread beyond intended planting areas.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
An easy-to-grow perennial with tall spikes of pink, purple, or white flowers that can be repositioned on the stem when bent. It spreads readily and is excellent for cut flowers and pollinator gardens.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Obedient Plant grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Obedient plant offers reliable mid-to-late-summer bloom when many other perennials are fading, making it useful for extending the flowering season in mixed borders. Its upright growth habit and long flower spikes distinguish it from lower-growing pollinator plants, and the flowers remain viable for cutting longer than many comparable tall perennials. Compared to other summer-blooming spikes like liatris or salvia, it tolerates a wider range of soil moisture conditions, performing adequately in both average and somewhat wet sites.
Watch out for
This plant performs best with moderate moisture and can become leggy or flop in overly rich soil or deep shade, requiring staking in such conditions. It tends to self-seed prolifically in favorable conditions, so deadheading spent flowers or monitoring volunteer seedlings may be necessary to prevent unwanted spread beyond intended planting areas.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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