False Dragonhead

Physostegia purpurea

The False Dragonhead is a beautiful flower that looks like a dragon's head! It has lovely purple and white petals and grows in clusters, making gardens bright and cheerful.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The False Dragonhead has upright, square stems topped with dense spikes of rosy-pink to purplish, tubular flowers. Its blossoms are uniquely shaped, resembling a dragon's head with a wide-open mouth, making it stand out among other meadow plants.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderLamialesFamilyLamiaceaeGenusPhysostegia

False Dragonhead

Interesting facts

Hummingbirds zoom in to sip sweet nectar from its pink blooms.

It can quickly spread with hidden roots, making new plants pop up!

Push its flowers gently, and they actually stay in their new spot!

This plant is a cousin to mint, but its leaves don't smell minty!

Special abilities

False Dragonhead can swivel its flowers and they stay put, like magic! This helps them attract pollinators from different directions.

False Dragonhead has underground stems called rhizomes that help it spread and create new plants, establishing its territory easily.

False Dragonhead has strong, square-shaped stems that make it sturdy and stand tall in windy conditions, keeping its beautiful flowers upright.

Measurements & details

Height: 30-90 cm
Spread: 30-60 cm
Flower Size: 2-3 cm
Bloom Season: Summer to Fall
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

Gathers nectar and pollen from the blooms.

pollinates

Monarch Butterfly

Danaus plexippus

Visits the flowers for energy-rich nectar.

pollinates

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Sips sweet nectar with its long slender beak.

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Cluster Flower

Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.