General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 9b
Plant Height: 24 - 48 inches
Plant Spread: 24 - 36 inches
Leaves: Other: smooth, 3 to 6 inches long, sharply toothed, opposite,lanceolate
Flowers: Showy
Other: bloom from bottom to top
Flower Color: Lavender
Pink
White
Bloom Size: Under 1"
1"-2"
Flower Time: Summer
Late summer or early fall
Fall
Inflorescence Height: 12 to 18 inches
Underground structures: Rhizome
Uses: Cut Flower
Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Propagation: Seeds: Provide light
Needs specific temperature: 70F
Days to germinate: 21-42
Depth to plant seed: Thickness of seed
Suitable for wintersowing
Start indoors
Can handle transplanting
Other info: Space plants 18-24 inches apart in garden. Self seeds.
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Other: rhizomes
Pollinators: Bumblebees
Bees
Various insects
Conservation status: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation status:
Conservation status: Least Concern
Image
Common names
  • Obedient Plant
  • False Dragonhead
  • Lion's Heart
  • Dragon Head

Photo Gallery
Photo by gardenglassgems

Prolific multiplier, almost a beautiful invader.
Location: My Gardens
Date: September 12, 2015
Attracts #Bees & Other Insects #Pollination
Location: My Gardens
Date: September 12, 2015
Attracts #Bees & Other Insects #Pollination

Date: 2016-08-15
Location: Cordoba, Argentina
Date: 1993
Location: My garden
Date: 2018-06-16
Location: Heathcote Ontario Canada
Date: 2021 August
Physostegia virginiana  A lovely rose-pink bloom
Location: Mixed Perennial Border
Date: September 17, 2013
Photographed In Shade #Pollination
Location: My Gardens
Date: September 12, 2015
At Peak Bloom
Location: Charleston, SC
Date: 2022-08-26
Location: Orangeburg, SC
Date: 2013-11-10
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-06-30
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2017-07-12
Location: Kyle
Date: 2018-07-12
Not so obedient about staying put! But very pretty
Location: Lucketts, Loudoun County, Virginia
Date: 2014-08-02
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-07-30
Location: Mixed Perennial Border
Date: September 17, 2013
Photographed In Shade
Location: z6a, Smith College Botanical Garden
Date: 2012-08-23
Photo by SongofJoy

photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2017-07-17
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-08-09
#pollination
Location: z6a, Smith College Botanical Garden
Date: 2012-08-23
Location: My garden
Date: 2014-08-11
With Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers'
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-08-28

photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2017-05-11
Location: Indiana  Zone 5
Date: 2012-08-21
Location: My Yard
Date: 2015-08-21
Location: My garden
Date: 2014-08-11
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-01-19
Location: Netherlands
Date: October
Credit: Dominicus Johannes Bergsma

photo credit: R. A. Nonenmacher
Location: Malakoff TX
Date: 2015-09-11
Location: My side yard, N Watauga TX
Date: 2011-10-11
Will fill in an area very quickly
Location: my garden 
Date: 2015-06-15
Location: z6a, Smith College Botanical Garden
Date: 2012-08-23
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by Deebie (midstate South Carolina - Zone 8a) on Aug 12, 2014 6:29 AM concerning plant:
    I enjoy growing and sharing this plant with others. To prevent excessive reseeding, either cut off the flowers to enjoy inside or deadhead the plant after the blooms fade. Dig up unwanted plants in the spring while the plant and rootball are small and share them with other gardeners either here on ATP or locally. Be sure to let them know about its invasive tendencies and how to keep it in control. It's a fun plant for kids, as the flowers remain in the position that they are turned, hence the name obedient plant.
  • Posted by virginiarose (Virginia - Zone 8a) on Oct 16, 2013 1:35 AM concerning plant:
    May be a noxious weed or invasive.
  • Posted by KFredenburg (Black Hills, SD - Zone 5a) on Jun 10, 2020 1:25 PM concerning plant:
    Use false dragonhead in a border or allow it to spread in large clumps in a naturalistic meadow garden.
  • Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on Nov 8, 2012 8:35 AM concerning plant:
    a good plant for some late color in the perennial garden
    spreads well and may need some management to keep from taking over.
    also a good source of nectar for bees
Plant Events from our members
piksihk On August 1, 2018 Bloomed
WG
piksihk On June 1, 2015 Bloomed
piksihk On March 28, 2015 Obtained plant
gardengus On July 24, 2015 Bloomed
greene On October 3, 2015 Obtained plant
Obtained plant at local swap.
antsinmypants On August 25, 2022 Bloomed
antsinmypants On May 17, 2022 Transplanted
Into sun garden 2
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