Obedient Plant October 2019

Obedient Plant October 2019

Wildflower Spot – October 2019 John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society pollinators and can often be seen attached to the Physostegia virginiana Past-president of the John Clayton underlip when the weather is cold, or in the evening. ObedientChapter, VNPS Plant Painted Lady butterflies have been seen on the By Helen Hamilton, flowers in late October. Obedient Plant flowers are long-bloomers, from August through November. This plant can be aggressive – it spreads by long Obedient Plant produces spikes of rose-pink flowers stems, either above ground (stolons) or below likethat littleare striking snapdragons, against the yellow square goldenrods stems identify and the this (rhizomes), and self-seeds. But the young seedlings plantwhite as asters a member of early of fall.the mintAlthough family, the flowers look can be pulled easily if they grow where unwanted. The leaves are distinctive, opposite and sessile on the stem, lance-shaped with widely- andThe deerbud at do the not top eat continues them. spaced teeth that have sharp points – few plants have this appearance. in sun, shade or part shade and soils to produce new blooms -- This native wildflower is easy to grow, “indeterminate florescence” as the height of the 4-foot stems, they botanists call this pattern of floral canthat be are cut somewhat by 1/3 early moist. in theTo control season, production when the youngest flowers are at the top of the stem. The plant can tolerate both The common name is well deserved and pruning will control a tendency -- when a blossom is pushed right to droop. or left it stays that way, because of poor drainage and drought but grows friction between the flower stalk and best in full sun with humus-rich soils. the surrounding bracts. Children are Obedient Plant grows naturally in amused by this seeming power over many counties across Virginia, and a flower. In nature this ability allows ranges over eastern U.S. and Canada, pollinationthe blossoms since to face insects away land from against a but is rare as a native occurrence storm, providing an advantage for leptophylla)in eastern Virginia. reaches Another only as far north species, Swamp Obedient Plant (P. the wind. The tubular flowers attract butterflies and as southernmost Virginia where it inhabits swamps hummingbirds. Each flower has five triangular lobes, and fresh to slightly brackish marshes. two forming an upper lip and three as the lower lip. A cultivar ‘Alba’ has white flowers and there is a The flowers have open mouths that show guidelines variegated, pink-flowered form. Other forms are v of dots and fine lines for bees and butterflies to available in various shades of pink and rose, some follow as they seek food. Bumblebees are the major growing less aggressively than the native species. Photo: Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) taken by Helen Hamilton For more information about native plants visit www.vnps.org..

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