Product Overview
Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)
The lavender-pink flower spikes resembling foxglove accent the water garden nicely. Blooms periodically throughout the summer. When foliage gets older, cut back for fresh, more compact growth and a flush of blooms. The name is from being able to twist the direction of the flower to a different position, and the flower obediently stays in that position. Grows in sun to part shade and will tolerate deep shade. Obedient plant over-winters well as long as the plant is submerged below the freeze line. US native.
Hardiness Zone: 5-11
Planting Container: We recommend a 10" x 6" fabric pot to grow a regular sized plant, or a 12.5" x 7" or 15" x 6" fabric pot to grow a specimen sized plant. Click on any fabric pot link to read about why fabric pots work better than hard plastic pots!
Light Requirements: full sun to part shade
Height: 3'-4' - Spread: 12" to 24"
Water Depth: Wet to moist soil or water 2" deep (Maximum water depth is for mature plants)
FERTILIZING: For best health and growth, we recommend fertilizing regularly (unless using the plants in a plant filtration system!). Use Pondtabbs 20 count, 60 count, or 300 count for fast release, or Aquascape 6 count or 12 count capsules for slow release (once a year) fertilizing. Aquascape is preferred for low maintenance, but Pondtabbs are useful in Spring when Aquascape is slow to start in low temperatures. Pondtabbs are also useful for a quick extra nutrient push for extra bloom, and for mid-summer fertilizing of a new plant (we don't recommend using slow release fertilizer in mid-summer or later in cold climates, as plants should run out of fertilizer at the end of the year to encourage dormancy in cold climates).
Plants are shipped bare root or in starter pots, and will require planting upon arrival. For in depth planting and care instructions visit our Planting and Care Instructions for Shallow Water and Bog Plants.
For information on using plants for pond filtration, please read our blog on this topic!
