Vivid Obedient Plant

The bright lilac-pink flowers of Vivid Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana), each shaped like a snapdragon, open from the bottom of the flower spike to the top along all 4 sides of the stem. After flowering, they leave a round seed capsule behind. At a height of 2-3 feet, Vivid fits perfectly with other late season bloomers such as aster, Rudbeckia, Asclepias, and Agastache, where its abundant pink flowers can harmonize with the golds, violets, and oranges of its neighbors. To keep Vivid compact, cut it back by half in spring. Divide your plants in spring every year or two to keep clumps happy. Native to much of the US, Physostegia likes average well-drained soil in a sunny spot. Nice cut flowers, the dried seed heads are also interesting additions to a dried flower arrangement. It is called obedient plant because the flowers may be turned in any direction where they will stay put – at least temporarily.