Obedient Plant (Physostegia Virginiana)

Fundamental Facts

HARDINESS: Zones 3 lo 9
PREFERRED SOIL pH: Neutral to slightly acid
PREFERRED SOIL TYPE: Moist, well-drained, average
PREFERRED LIGHT: Sun to partial shade
ATTRIBUTES: Pink or white flowers, green or variegated leaves; for beds
SEASON OF INTEREST: Late summer into fall
FAVORITES: 'Bouquet Rose', 'Vivid', 'Summer Snow, 'Miss Manners', 'Variegata'
QUIRKS: Stems retain curves when bent or twisted
GOOD NEIGHBORS: Asters, garden phlox, goldenrod, meadow rue, ornamental grasses
WHERE IT GROWS BEST: In a sunny site, and in damp soil
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: Spreads rapidly; uproot unwanted plants
RENEWING PLANTS: Lives many years; divide every 3 years and discard weak plants
CRITTER RESISTANCE: Good
SOURCE: Bedding plant, division
DIMENSIONS: 2-4 ft (0.2-1.2 m) tall, 1-3 ft (0.3-1 m) wide

Obedient Plant in the Landscape

A real problem-solving plant for areas with damp soil, obedient plant thrives with its roots sunk into soggy underpinnings. It offers plenty of luminous rose pink or white flowers that coordinate with nearly everything else you might want to grow. Obedient plant is doubly appreciated because it develops its wands of trumpet-shaped blossoms in late summer, when little else is in flower, and the blooms linger long into fall. Because of its height, it's best suited to the back of a flower border, a meadow garden, or even the edges of a streambed. Obedient plant stands a stately 3^ ft (1-1.2 m) tall with sparse, pointed foliage, which makes it best displayed en masse.

Obedient plant is a good neighbor for late-blooming asters, moisture-loving meadow rue, and clumps of ornamental grasses or sedges. For a daring pink display, grow it in the company of pink-flowered garden phlox. Just bear in mind that obedient plant spreads by means of creeping roots that travel far and fast. This characteristic makes it a handful for anyone who values strict discipline in a plant or who gardens in small spaces. But the obedient plant's meandering ways are an asset in more informal garden schemes where it can express its natural exuberance.

Playful Plants

The obedient plant's common name refers to the unique way that the flower-laden stems, when nudged left or right, will remain pointed in that direction until you realign them. This characteristic makes it a fun-filled addition to a child's garden.

All cultivars make good cut flowers, but 'Bouquet Rose' is particularly valued for its 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) tall rose pink spikes. 'Vivid', the most popular garden variety, has hot pink flowers on shorter, IS in (38 cm) stems. Or you might prefer the pure white 'Summer Snow', which has a less aggressive personality than its relatives. Better behaved still is a new introduction called 'Miss Manners', which forms clumps rather than running about, and it produces white flowers atop 3 ft (1 m) tall stems. The cultivar 'Variegata' not only offers abundant lavender pink flowers but also has gray-green leaves, which are edged in milky white.

Growing Obedient Plant

Luxuriating in damp soil, obedient plants will be grateful if you find a soggy spot when setting out young plants in late spring or early fall. The site shouldn't be overly fertile, and there's no need for further feeding, as too much fertility leads to weak stems that fall over easily. Obedient plant can tolerate dry soil, which can help to curtail its tendency to wander, but lack of water will also diminish its height and profusion of flowers.
To get this perennial off to a running start, tuck it into a roomy hole and backfill thoroughly, tamping the soil down to eliminate air pockets.

Water it well and spread a thin layer of grass clippings or straw as a mulch, just enough to keep weeds at bay and retain moisture around the roots. Unless there is ample natural dampness, water every few days until the plants begin to produce new growth. To enjoy more flowers on shorter plants, prune back the tallest, earliest stems in early summer. The pruned stems will form several branches all topped with blossoms.
Obedient plant is virtually pest and disease free, and needs to be divided only to control its growth or to increase plantings. Dig and divide plants in the spring, cutting through rhizomes to separate plantlets from the parent. Set plantlets at the same depth at which the parent plant grew, watering as needed to keep the soil moist until plantlets are established.