Obedient Plant

Easily grown in average, moist, acidic, well-drained soils in full sun. Stems tend to flop in rich soils, too much shade or hot summer temperatures. Taller plants may need staking. Tolerates wet soils and some part shade. Physostegia virginiana, commonly called obedient plan or false dragonhead, is a rhizomatous perennial that is native to North America from Quebec to Manitoba south to Florida and New Mexico. In Missouri, it is commonly found in a variety of habitats including open meadows, prairies, stream banks, gravel bars, wooded bluff bases and railroad track right-of-ways (Steyermark). Tubular, two-lipped, snapdragon-like, pink to pale lilac flowers in upright terminal spikes (each to 12-in�) bloom throughout summer (late June-September) atop square stems rising to 2-4 ft tall. Flowers bloom bottom to top on each spike, with each flower being subtended by a small leaf-like bract. Stems are clad with opposite, narrow-lanceolate, sharply-toothed leaves (to 3 in� long). Species plants are noted for being aggressive spreaders in the landscape by both rhizomes and self-seeding.