Broke Down Ranch
Deeply Rooted
Has anyone ever heard of these or seen them? I was reading about them - what does it mean you can bend them how you want them to grow?
Obedient Plant
- Thread starter Broke Down Ranch
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patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
The flowers are on a spike. The spike is more or less square in cross-section (it is after all in the mint family) (this is relevant for other reasons too, see below 
) with the flowers basically opposite to each other, so the vertical rows of flowers on the spike normally face let's call it "north and south". If you wish them all to face, say, east, you can push them all in that direction and they will pretty much stay, so that all the flowers are off to one side of the spike. It is not really that exciting
The other thing to be aware of about obedient plant (Physostegia) is that, as mentioned, it is a mint. Thus it does what mints do, and you need to either have a large area for it to roam or keep your weeding gloves (and shovel!) handy.
Personally I *love* it, have a fair amount, and really wish there were more cultivars that looked different. (In reality, no matter what the catalogs and labels may pretend, there are really only 3 visually distinguishable kinds: the usual pink-with-purple-tinge type, a white-flowered type, and a variegated-leaved type).
But if I had a small garden and was the type of person who didnt like different foods touching each other on my dinnerplate I would definitely NOT plant Physostegia. Because of its wandering habits, the old saw is that it should be called "disobedient plant"
Pat
) with the flowers basically opposite to each other, so the vertical rows of flowers on the spike normally face let's call it "north and south". If you wish them all to face, say, east, you can push them all in that direction and they will pretty much stay, so that all the flowers are off to one side of the spike. It is not really that exciting The other thing to be aware of about obedient plant (Physostegia) is that, as mentioned, it is a mint. Thus it does what mints do, and you need to either have a large area for it to roam or keep your weeding gloves (and shovel!) handy.
Personally I *love* it, have a fair amount, and really wish there were more cultivars that looked different. (In reality, no matter what the catalogs and labels may pretend, there are really only 3 visually distinguishable kinds: the usual pink-with-purple-tinge type, a white-flowered type, and a variegated-leaved type).
But if I had a small garden and was the type of person who didnt like different foods touching each other on my dinnerplate I would definitely NOT plant Physostegia. Because of its wandering habits, the old saw is that it should be called "disobedient plant"
Pat
beefy
Deeply Rooted
it is beautiful but no obedient. at least it doesnt know the command "stay!"
Smitty's Farm
Leafing Out
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I agree! I always called mine disobedient plant.beefy said:
It's very pretty, but almost as invasive as Morning Glories.....but it is pretty.
