Physostegia virginiana Obedient Plant

Ohio Native Plant Natural Range

To view the natural range of Physostegia virginiana visit the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service website.
A pink flower which is Physostegia virginiana contrasted against a black background.
Physostegia virginiana By - Roger Dahlin
Five tall thin plants with light pink flowers are Obedient Plant. The picture has a black background.
Obedient Plant By Roger Dahlin

Cultivation Information Obedient Plant

Flower Color - PinkBlooms - August - SeptemberHeight - 2-5 feetSun - Full sun/ part shade
Hardy Zone - 3 -9Soil - moistpH - 5.0 - 6.5
Family - Lamiaceae, Mint Family
Cultivation - Grow in open areas, as it spreads rapidly. Space plants one foot apart
Seed Provenance Physostegia virginiana
Nodding Onion Gardens - 2010 to present, Native Bee-ginnings, Pennsylvania, 2019, Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, MN - 2010
A large bumblebee with its back to the camera is collecting pollen or gathering nectar from the Obedient Plant which has lots of pink trumpet type of flowers.
Bees and hummingbirds love Obedient Plant
Wildlife Significance Obedient Plant
Pollen Source - Bumblebees
Nectar Source - hummingbirds, butterflies like monarchs and sulphurs. Small bees including: green sweat bees, sweat bees, yellow-faced bees
This was a late summer/early fall hummingbird favorite, even with numerous other plants like Cardinal Flowers still blooming.
Deer - Like other members of the mint family White-tailed deer tend to leave this native plant alone Visit the Illinois Wildflower website for more details on this plant
Propagation Notes Obedient Plant
Stratifying Seeds
Seeds placed in Cold Moist Storage - 60 daysFall 2012 - Seeds Collected at Nodding Onion Gardens
Supplies Needed For Seed Stratification -1. Zip lock plastic bag2. Few table spoons of Vermiculite3. Dampened vermiculite - not soggy4. Store in refrigerator for 60 days
A dime as reference on colored news paper comics displays Obedinet Plant's black seeds and brown papery casingpapery casing
Wait until Obedient seed is dark brown before harvesting
Remove the chaff before stratifying or storing seed. It doesn't need to be perfect! Use a spaghetti strainer to separate seed from chaff