Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Physostegia virginiana
Obedient Plant
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Height
- 2 to 4 feet
- Width
- 1 to 2 feet
- Flower color
- Pale pink to light purple
- Foliage color
- Dark green
- Bloom time
- Mid-summer to fall
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Medium to moist soil
- Maintenance
- Low; deadhead to prolong blooming, cut back in late fall or early spring
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 3 to 8
- Wildlife
- Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
About this plant
Physostegia virginiana, commonly known as the obedient plant, is a perennial native to North America. It is renowned for its spiked clusters of tubular flowers that bloom from mid-summer to early fall, with the blooms typically appearing in shades of pink, to light purple. The flowers are arranged in tall, narrow clusters that add a vertical accent to gardens, making it a popular choice for borders or naturalized areas.
This plant is found across much of the eastern and central United States, where it thrives in moist meadows, prairies, and along stream banks. Its common name, "obedient plant," arises from the plant's unique ability to have its flower spikes bent in any direction, holding their position once moved, which is a feature that gardeners often enjoy.
Works well in
Borders · Cottage Gardens · Pollinator Gardens · Hummingbird Gardens · Rain Gardens
Companion plants
Hellebores · Hardy geraniums · Hostas · Ferns · Astilbes · Foxgloves
Design tip
Late flowers extend the season, so set it behind or beside plants that finish in midsummer. Because it is easy about light, use it to carry a planting from a sunny end of the bed into the shadier side.
