FNPS Plant Database

Physostegia purpurea

obedient plant, eastern false dragonhead

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

obedient plant, eastern false dragonhead

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Physostegia purpurea

Family:

Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

To about 3 ft tall, clonal forming patches.

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

pink,purple

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Winter dormant. Blooms late summer-fall.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Moist wildflower garden, wetland garden.

Considerations:

Availability:

Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Stays wet ---to--- Somewhat moist, no flooding

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Adaptable

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Hummingbirds

Generally pollinated by bumblebees.  Other long tongued bees, hummingbirds and the occasional butterfly sip nectar from the flowers ( New Moon Nursery ).

Humminbirds are attracted to the nectar.

Native Habitats:

Wet prairie, wet savannas, hydric pine flatwoods, cypress sloughs, marl prairies, marshes, ditches.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Citations:

Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell.  1999.  Native Florida Plants.  Gulf Publishing Company.  Houston, TX.



Hammer, Roger. 2015.  Attracting hummingbirds and butterflies in tropical Florida.  University Presses of Florida.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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