Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth. ssp. virginiana

Northern Obedient Plant; False Dragon's Head; Lion's Heart

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Obedient Plant is a native herbaceous perennial in the Mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to most of Alabama. Obedient Plant occurs in in moist hardwood forests, along streams, in roadside ditches, and in low areas of cedar glades and prairies. It is a perennial with long horizontal rhizomes, forming colonies. Stems are erect, 1-4 feet in height, square in cross-section, green in color, and glabrous or nearly so. The stems are unbranched below the inflorescence. Leaves are opposite, sessile with attenuate bases, elliptic to lanceolate in outline, with serrate margins. The leaves are glabrous. Flowers are produced in terminal, bracteate racemes. The calyx is green in color and 5 lobed. The dark to light purple corolla is 2-lipped. The lower lip of the corolla is three lobed and the upper lip is unlobed. The corolla is spotted or striped with darker specks or lines within. There are 4 stamens arched under the upper lip. The fruit is a mericarp. Obedient Plant is often available from nurseries. It prefers a moist, organic soil in full to partial sun. Plants may require staking. It can sometimes spread aggressively from the rhizomes.—A. Diamond.

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Native

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