Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Family Lamiaceae
Push an obedient plant flower to the side and it stays put — each bloom swivels on its spike like a hinge, a trick that has charmed children for generations. The pink or white spires keep coming from summer deep into fall, when hummingbirds appreciate every last one.
Bumblebees work the spikes alongside the hummingbirds, and the stems cut beautifully for the vase. Its one habit worth knowing: in moist soil it runs, so choose the clumping cultivar 'Miss Manners' or hand it a rough patch to fill. Either way, a kids' garden without it is missing something.
⚠ Spreads aggressivelyObedient Plant spreads vigorously and regrows from bits of root, so it's very hard to fully remove once established — give it a contained bed or a spot where it can roam freely, and edge it every year.
Full Sun to Part Shade
Moderate water
Fast growth
Native to North America
Attracts hummingbirds
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing obedient plant? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries obedient plant — Physostegia virginiana, print Nº 333, “Obedient Plant.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what obedient plant actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-9Obedient Plant · Common problems
Common obedient plant problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Diseases
2 problems on file
- Powdery Mildew (minor)
- Rust
Obedient Plant · Growing & propagation
Growing obedient plant
- Light
- Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water
- Moderate-High
Soil- Rich, moist · pH 6.0 - 7.0
Fertilizer- None
Pruning- Cut back in spring; divide to control spread
A late-blooming native with a quirk kids love: push a flower sideways on the spike and it stays put ('obedient'). Spikes of pink or white snapdragon-like blooms feed bumblebees and hummingbirds in late summer. It spreads enthusiastically by runners in moist soil — give it room or a contained bed, or divide yearly. Good cut flower. The compact cultivars are better-behaved.
Spacing- 18-24 in
How to plant & propagate obedient plant
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Obedient Plant · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Obedient Plant · Yearly calendar
The obedient plant year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPruneBloomAugust to November
PruneMarch to May
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Obedient Plant · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Physostegia virginiana
Obedient Plant in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Hummingbirds, Bees
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
- Origin
- Native to North America
What obedient plant is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
Use- Late bloom
- Use
- Kids' garden
- Use
- Hummingbirds
- Use
- Native (spreads)
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Obedient Plant · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a obedient plant variety
'Miss Manners' (white, well-behaved clumper); 'Vivid' (pink, compact); 'Pink Manners'
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Physostegia virginiana
- Plant family
- Lamiaceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- PHVI8
- Invasive risk
- Spreads aggressively
- Other names
- Physostegia (false dragonhead)
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Obedient Plant questions, answered straight.
Is obedient plant safe for kids and pets?
Obedient Plant is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate obedient plant?
Division or seed.
Is obedient plant invasive?
It can be an aggressive spreader — give it room or a barrier, and check your state's invasive-species list before planting.
Elsewhere
Where obedient plant sits in the library.
Common Milkweed
Ironweed
Cup Plant
Helen's Flower (Sneezeweed)