# obedient plant (*Physostegia virginiana*) The obedient plant is a pretty flower that can change its shape! It has tall spikes with pink or white blooms that look like little bells. This flower loves to grow in sunny places and can be found in gardens and wild areas. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![obedient plant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Physostegia_virginiana1LinBow.jpg&width=800) Photo: LinBow, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Physostegia_virginiana1LinBow.jpg) ## Appearance The obedient plant has tall spikes adorned with numerous tubular, two-lipped flowers, typically in shades of pink, purple, or white. Its lance-shaped leaves have serrated edges and grow on upright, square stems. The flowers are arranged closely along the upper part of the stem. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Physostegia ## Interesting facts - Did you know its flowers are sometimes called 'dragonhead' because of their unique shape? - Even though it loves moist soil, this tough plant can also thrive in drier garden spots! - Some people believe the roots were traditionally used by Native Americans for teas! - The plant's square stems are a secret clue that it belongs to the big mint family! ## Special abilities - **Obedient Flower Trick:** The obedient plant has flowers that, when gently pushed sideways, will stay in their new position, helping guide pollinators! - **Pollinator Magnet:** This plant produces abundant nectar and bright, showy flowers that effectively attract a variety of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. - **Vigorous Spreader:** Obedient plants can spread effectively through underground stems called rhizomes, helping them form dense colonies over time. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-120 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Feeds on nectar, aiding in pollination. - **Pollinates:** [Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-throated-hummingbird) (*Archilochus colubris*) — Sips nectar from the tubular flowers. ## Traits - [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell. - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don’t pick flowers in nature to help them grow. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify obedient plant? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is obedient plant? 60-120 cm ### How wide does obedient plant spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on obedient plant? 1-3 cm ### When does obedient plant bloom? Late summer to fall ### Is obedient plant edible? No ### Is obedient plant toxic? None ### What is obedient plant's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Circleville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/circleville-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Cleveland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cleveland-park) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood - [Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/laughing-brook-wildlife-sanctuary) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Cutler Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cutler-botanic-garden) — New York, US · Botanical Garden - [Fort Atkinson](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-atkinson) — Iowa, US · Forest - [Foxhall](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/foxhall) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see obedient plant](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/obedient-plant) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Obedient Plant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/obedient-plant)