Obedient plant is a native perennial in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. In the wild, they can be found in wet meadows, barrens and glades, seepages in open woods, damp thickets, among other sites. It does grow in open upland forests as long as the soil is quite high in pH. Uncommon to infrequent in the NC mountains. The common name "obedient" comes from the ability of the flowers on the stalk to be twisted into any position by hand, where they will remain "obediently". Obedient plants grow best in moist, well-drained, moderately fertile soil and sun to part sun. They can be propagated by seed or by the division of roots in the spring or fall. It can be aggressive in rich, moist soils, so gardeners should divide clumps every year or two to keep plants contained. Pulling out plants that are invading other parts of the garden is easy to do because the roots are shallow. This easy-to-grow plant forms clumps quickly up to 4 feet tall and three feet wide with green-toothed margin leaves. Showy flowers are pale purple to rose appearing on tall spikes which bloom starting from the bottom and working up to the top of the spike. Obedient plant provides a long season of cheery color in the garden from mid-summer until the first frost. A great choice for a meadow or native garden as it is visited by bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. This plant is resistant to browsing by deer. Insects, Diseases, and Other Problems: Aphids are occasional pests. Susceptible to blackspot fungal disease. It can be weedy, especially in damp soils. Stems may flop in rich soils, shade, or hot temperatures, so staking of taller plants may be necessary.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect; Multi-stemmed
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Doubly Serrate
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Sharply toothed, lance-shaped leaves.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Lipped; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
1 inch pale purple to rose flowers borne in a showy terminal spike. The corolla is swollen at the throat, the upper lip is domed, the lower lip spreading with three lobes. Blooms from July to October.