Obedient Plant
A familiar fall bloomer in this area is obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana). Thomas Jefferson grew these natives at Monticello, and George Washington had plantings at Mt. Vernon. Philadelphia plantsman John Bartram also grew them and sold them in his catalog.
Obedient plants are “passalong” plants, easily divided and shared. My plants came from a friend who pulled a clump from her garden several years ago. My original plant has thrived and spread via rhizomes (underground stems) but only a few feet in the same garden bed. Not too much but just enough to provide extra plants to share and abundant flowers to cut for an arrangement.
These perennials prefer moist, well-drained soils in full sun. They are great for wildlife gardens, sunny meadow gardens, and rain gardens. The flowers of these deer-resistant plants attract bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
The name “obedient” comes from the fact that if you twist the individual flowers, they stay in that new position for some time, hence they are “obedient.”
Obedient plants provide vertical interest and a wash of pink in the fall, when you least expect it. I prefer the pink flowering variety, but there are obedient plants with white flowers (‘Alba’) and even green and white variegated leaves (‘Variegata’).
In the spring, the emerging stems are easy to identify. They are square shaped, a mint family characteristic, and they have chocolate brown, vertical strips running up and down the green stems. Being shallow-rooted, I can easily pull unwanted plants if I have to but could just as easily share with my gardening club. If unwanted growth is a concern, try ‘Miss Manners’ (white flowers) or ‘Pink Manners’ (pink flowers), both of which are known to maintain a clumping habit.
Hardy to zone 3, they are easy to grow and do not need fertilizing or deadheading. If you have friends who have these in their gardens, ask for a clump in the spring so you do not ruin the fall display. However, they are easy to find at local garden centers. Try growing this native plant in your garden for fall beauty.
