The common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana L.): The history of an
Perennial of the Week Physostegia virginiana
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Volume 1, Issue 20 August 9, 2010 Page 1 Table of Contents Perennial of the Week pg. 1 Georgia Garden Destinations pg. 2 Perennial of the Week Physostegia virginiana Commonly called Obedient Plant, Physostegia virginiana is native Georgia wildflower, found growing in swamps and moist soils throughout the region. It has an upright habit, growing to 36 inches or more in height. In late summer this rugged perennial bears numerous pink or white flowers in terminal spikes, not unlike a snapdragon. The flowers are tubular in shape and are arranged in vertical columns along the spikes. The leaves of the obedient plant are narrow and smooth-surfaced, 2 to 6 in. long, with dark green color- ing above and a lighter green underside. In the garden, these vigorous perennials can form large clumps and flower profusely. They perform best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. They can persist in almost any soil, but they are at their best in a rich soil with consistent moisture and a lower pH. Under optimal conditions, Physostegia virginiana can be an aggressive spreader, especially under irrigation. Obedient it is not! In many situations, periodic rouging is required to keep this plant form becoming invasive. So why is it called Obedient Plant? The common name derives for the fact that if the individual florets are bent in a different direction, they will stay in that position. It does make an excellent cut flower, but plants often must be supported to remain erect and produce long straight stems. There are many different cultivars of Physostegia. ‘Miss Manners’ is one cultivar that is very popular with gardeners because of its well behaved, non-spreading habit. Bred by plantsman Dar- rell Probst, ‘Miss Manners’ does not spread invasively and has pure white flowers. Another noteworthy cultivar is ‘Bouquet Rose’, which features spikes of deep-pink flowers over upright, bushy clumps of deep green leaves. This cultivar can easily be grown from seed or divisions, but it spreads quickly to form large patches, which should be kept in mind when placing it in the garden. All Physostegia cultivars attract butterflies and hummingbirds and are known to be deer resistant. As long as the obedient plant is adequately restrained, this beautiful, snapdragon-like flower will grace your garden with interest and unique charm year after year.
Transcript of Perennial of the Week Physostegia virginiana
Volume 1, Issue 20 August 9, 2010
Page 1
Table of Contents
Perennial of the Week pg. 1
Georgia Garden Destinations pg. 2
Perennial of the WeekPhysostegia virginiana
Commonly called Obedient Plant, Physostegia virginiana is native Georgia wildflower, found growing in swamps and moist soils throughout the region. It has an upright habit, growing to 36 inches or more in height. In late summer this rugged perennial bears numerous pink orwhite flowers in terminal spikes, not unlike a snapdragon. The flowers are tubular in shape and are arranged in vertical columns along the spikes. The leaves of the obedient plant are narrow and smooth-surfaced, 2 to 6 in. long, with dark green color-ing above and a lighter green underside.
In the garden, these vigorous perennials can form large clumps and flower profusely. They perform best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. They can
persist in almost any soil, but they are at their best in a rich soil with consistent moisture and a lower pH. Under optimal conditions, Physostegia virginiana can be an aggressive spreader, especially under irrigation. Obedient it is not! In many situations, periodic rouging is required to keep this plant form becoming invasive. So why is it called Obedient Plant? The common name derives for the fact that if the individual florets are bent in a different direction, they will stay in that position. It does make an excellent cut flower, but plants often must be supported to remain erect and produce long straight stems.
There are many different cultivars of Physostegia. ‘Miss Manners’ is one cultivar that is very popular with gardeners because of its well behaved, non-spreading habit. Bred by plantsman Dar-rell Probst, ‘Miss Manners’ does not spread invasively and has pure white flowers. Another noteworthy cultivar is ‘Bouquet Rose’,
which features spikes of deep-pink flowers over upright, bushy clumps of deep green leaves. This cultivar can easily be grown from seed or divisions, but it spreads quickly to form large patches, which should be kept in mind when placing it in the garden. All Physostegia cultivars attract butterflies and hummingbirds and are known to be deer resistant. As long as the obedient plant is adequately restrained, this beautiful, snapdragon-like flower will grace your garden with interest and unique charm year after year.
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Georgia Garden DestinationsAtlanta History Center
Located on 33 acres in the heart of Buckhead, the Atlanta History Center features an elegant home designed by Georgia classicist Philip Trammell Schutze, an outstanding local history museum, an early 19th century farm
house, and even a renowned horticultural library. The property also has six historic garden features that provide the perfect setting for this outstanding cultural resource, including the Cherry Sims Asian-American Garden, the
Tullie Smith Farm Garden, and the Swan House Gardens, among others.
One of the most interesting gardens at the Atlanta History Center is the Mary Howard Gilbert Quarry Garden. Covering three acres, this garden encompasses the state’s most comprehensive collection of Georgia native plants, including nearly 600 species. Many of the plants featured are rare or endangered, and the old rock quarry provides a unique woodland setting for their display. One rare plant species found here is the Franklin Tree (Franklinia alatamaha), which was discovered on the banks of Georgia’s Altamaha River by William Bartram in 1775 and is now considered to be extinct in the wild. Other plants of interest include the yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), an impor-tant plant for Southeastern Native Americans, and various species of azaleas native to the Southeast. Adding beauty to the garden is a pond and bog garden, both of which provide a habitat for wild orchids and other native water plants.
Each of Atlanta History Center’s unique garden settings is a treasure, and each garden tells the story of a particular group of people who interacted with this land and its plants in distinguishable ways. Summer is a great time to visit the Tullie Smith Farm Gardens that interprets the cultural landscapes of early 19th century Georgians and features a variety of heirloom plants. Regardless of the season, Atlanta History Center is a wonderful Georgia garden destination.
