Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Spikes of true blue for late summer shade and damp ground, worked hard by bumblebees.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
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- Obedient Plant
Pink
Perennial wildflower
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Snapdragon-like pink spikes for late summer, beloved by bumblebees and hummingbirds.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwestthe Great Plainsthe South-Central region
Growing Obedient Plant
Vigorous to the point of running in rich, moist soil — give it room or grow it in a tougher dry spot to slow it down. It’s showy, and easy to grow.
Where it grows
Obedient Plant is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa and 32 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Obedient Plant on 42 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Obedient Plant
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Obedient Plant’s range and conditions.
Blue Vervain
Verbena hastata
Candelabras of tiny violet flowers for wet ground, working for small native bees all summer.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Spherical white 'pincushion' flowers over standing water, swarmed by butterflies and bees.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
The most intense red in the native flora, built for the hummingbirds that pollinate it.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep