Physostegia purpurea
Obedient Plant, Eastern False Dragonhead
Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Also known as also Physostegia godfreyi, Physostegia leptophylla
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Flower | |
| Life Span: | Short-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Pink,purple | |
| Fruit Color: | NA | |
| Phenology: | Winter dormant | |
| Noted for: | Showy flowers |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Wildflower garden. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Stays Wet ----- to ----- Somewhat moist, no flooding) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Stays Wet ----- to ----- Somewhat moist, no flooding | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Adaptable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Humminbirds are attracted to the nectar. | |
| Insects: | Generally pollinated by bumblebees. Other long tongued bees, hummingbirds and the occasional butterfly sip nectar from the flowers (New Moon Nursery). | |
| Native Habitats: | Wet prairie, wet savannas, hydric pine flatwoods, cypress sloughs, marl prairies, marshes, ditches. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| General Comments: | P. purpurea is the most common of several similar species. Based on BONAP maps and the ISB website, it likely occurs throughout peninsular Florida and in the coastal plain in the panhandle and up the eastern seaboard as far as North Carolina. |