Physostegia virginiana isn't seen in the wild very often these days but it is a tough and resilient plant that has a range from Canada to Mexico. The attractive blooms range from white to a purplish pink and they make a showy statement on stems that can grow as high as 5' tall.
It is commonly known as the obedient plant, although that name isn't a description of its manners in the garden. It spreads by underground rhizomes and can get a bit thuggish when it finds a spot it especially likes. Mine grows between a huge mound of chocolate mint (one of its 'cousins') and a trellis with my coral honeysuckle and it has filled that space and then some. The flowers are gorgeous and I like a bit of the wild, so I'm happy to let it spread to its heart's content. Yes, this tall plant with the snapdragon-like flowers is a member of the large Lamiaceae tribe which includes mint. It has the characteristic square stems that identify it as a member of this family, but it has no culinary properties that I can find. I've also failed to turn up any folk medicine uses or lore associated with it. Basically, it is just a pretty face.
This plant gets its common name from an interesting characteristic. The flowers obediently stay in place when they are moved. It is a fun little quirk that kids will enjoy playing with. Since there is no toxicity associated with the obedient plant, let them push and pull the flowers to their heart's content.
Obedient plants do attract a number of insects and bees adore it. Hummingbirds will visit it as well, so it makes a nice addition to a butterfly and hummingbird garden. Bambi rarely finds it tasty, so if you are plagued by deer, it might make a good choice, although if deer are hungry enough, they will eat almost anything. It likes full to partial sun and a good loamy soil, although it tolerates clay quite well, which I can attest to. Mine is planted in a mix of clay with a rocky red gravel base and it thrives. It is in a well-drained area, but I've read that it does well in soils that remain moist too. Here in west Kentucky, it blooms from the middle of July to the middle of September, so is great for an unusual late summer color splash, since pink isn't often associated with the season.
There are a number of commercial cultivars and we have a number of PlantScout vendors that offer them, so if you'd like to add a few to your garden, it is quite easy to order. If you have a friend with some in their garden, they transplant easily and there's always extras to share as well. Obedient plants work best at the back of the border, although a bit of pruning early in the summer will result in shorter plants. There are few pests that plague it and they are self-cleaning, so there is no need to dead-head. Just remember that it does tend to spread and form colonies, so give it plenty of room.
