obedient plant Interesting Notes

Darrell Probst of Garden Visions and breeder of P. 'Miss Manners', has done it again with the taller sport Physostegia virginiana ‘Pink Manners’. Still a neat, well-behaved clump former, but with lovely pink flowers that drive the bees crazy! Tubular flowers in shades of lavender-pink adorn 'Pink Manners' from midsummer through autumn. As expected, it holds an upright, clump forming habit with attractive medium green foliage and grows to about 36” tall and 20” wide. An adaptable and easy-to-grow native, the strong stems do not require staking.

Physostegia virginiana is found from Quebec to Montana to New Mexico to Florida, preferring open meadows, prairies, stream banks, and moist disturbed areas. It grows in full sun to part shade in average garden soil to wet conditions. In the Lamiaceae family, obedient plant grows rhizomatously. Rarely does it get disease but occasionally can be affected by rust or spider mites. The common name, obedient plant, comes from the plant’s ability for each individual flower to be positioned in any one direction and temporarily remain in that position as if it were hinged. While the plant is a heavy feeder, too rich of soil causes the plant to lodge.

Our Physostegia virginiana ‘Pink Manners’ is along our three-tiered forebay system to handle greenhouse rain runoff. It handles heavy soil and periodic inundation well – in the wild, obedient plant is frequently found in swamp conditions. Obedient plant supports bumblebees, butterflies, and long-tongued bees.

Good Substitutions

Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners'