Product specifications and features

Product Description

Physostegia virginiana - Obedient Plant, Pond Edge & Border Plant

Physostegia virginiana, known as obedient plant, is an upright perennial with square stems and lance-shaped, toothed leaves. From midsummer to early autumn it carries spikes of tubular pink to purple flowers, which are good for cutting.

Obedient plant at a glance

Botanical name Physostegia virginiana
Common name Obedient plant
Plant type Upright, clump-forming perennial; dies back in winter
Height and spread Up to about 1 m tall, up to 50 cm wide
Flowers Pink to purple (occasionally white), tubular, in upright spikes, July to September
Position Full sun or part shade, sheltered
Soil Moist but well-drained soil that does not dry out
Pond depth None – moist soil, not water
Hardiness RHS H7 – very hardy (below -20°C)
Native to North America (not UK native)

Is obedient plant a pond plant?

No. It is a border perennial for reliably moist soil, not a water or bog plant. The RHS gives moist but well-drained soil, so plant it in a damp border near the pond, not in standing water.

Where to plant it

  • Moist borders beside a pond
  • Sheltered spots in sun or part shade
  • Cutting gardens, for the flower spikes

How to plant and care for it

Plant in spring in moist soil that does not dry out. Watch for slugs and snails; it can also suffer from fungal and bacterial rots.

Which size should I buy?

Bare-root plants (7 cm, 9 cm, 1 litre and 3 litre) arrive without a pot or compost and are the most economical way to plant a group. Potted plants (9 cm, 1 litre and 3 litre) arrive growing in our peat-free compost and give a faster display. Packs of 3 come in 7 cm, 9 cm, 1 litre and 3 litre bare-root sizes and cost less per plant. The 2x Pot & Compost option is two plants supplied with pots and compost.