Autumn Carnival Obedient Plant

The Autumn Carnival Obedient Plant, or Physostegia virginiana, has a lot going for it. This perennial is  easy to maintain, and established plants need little attention to thrive. Thin, upright stems are loaded with lavender-pink flowers that resemble snapdragons. Narrow, strap-like leaves in a shade of medium green fill in the base of the plant. This beauty blooms during late summer, and a quick trim when the flowers start to fade may encourage another flush of blooms.

This Obedient Plant is a medium-sized plant, so it looks best near the middle of a mixed bed or border. This plant can live in damp soil, and would thrive near a pond or stream. Feature the Autumn Carnival Obedient Plant in a container to add a pop of late-summer color to a porch or patio. Trim the stems to display the flowers in a vase. Pollinators enjoy the lovely flowers, but foraging animals like deer and rabbits leave it alone. Grow this plant as a perennial in zones 5 through 9.

Autumn Carnival Obedient Plant Care

This stunner loves full sun, so plant the Autumn Carnival Obedient Plant in an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight. The soil should be rich, slightly acidic, and moist; this plant can handle living in wet soil, making it a good choice for areas with poor drainage. Plants grown in damp areas seldom need supplemental water, but plants grown in dry conditions will need a drink when the top few inches of the soil are dry. Obedient Plants thrive with little care, so many gardeners opt not to use fertilizer. Still, plants grown in poor-quality soil will benefit from an annual application of balanced plant food in the spring.

Trim the stems when the flowers fade to encourage another round of blooms. The Autumn Carnival Obedient Plant forms a well-behaved clump and will not spread aggressively like other selections of Obedient Plants. This plant is an herbaceous perennial, and the faded greenery can be removed after the first frost.

Autumn Carnival Obedient Plant Spacing

As a medium-sized plant, the Autumn Carnival Obedient Plant stands 15 to 17 inches tall and wide. Space plants 15 to 17 inches apart, or give the plants more room, and they will fill in with time. One plant can comfortably live in a 12-inch container.

Autumn Carnival Obedient Plant Information