Obedient plant 'Summer Snow' Physostegia virginiana 'Summer Snow'

Water

The Obedient Plant requires consistent moisture, especially during its active growing season in spring and summer. It's best to water it deeply once a week, allowing the soil to be moist but not waterlogged. In hotter, drier periods, it may need watering twice a week. Provide about 1 to 1.5 gallons of water per plant for each watering session to ensure that the water reaches deep into the root zone.

Light

Obedient Plant thrives in full sun to partial shade. For optimum growth and blooming, place it in a location where it receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. However, in regions with very hot summers, some afternoon shade is beneficial to prevent scorching.

Temperature

The Obedient Plant prefers temperate climates and can survive temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit but thrives in a range between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It's cold hardy and can tolerate frost, making it suitable for growing in USDA zones 3 through 9.

Pruning

Pruning the Obedient Plant should be done to maintain shape, remove faded flowers, and encourage a second bloom. Deadheading throughout the blooming period promotes more flowers. Cut the plant back to the ground in late fall or early winter after the first frost to prepare it for the coming growing season.

Cleaning

As needed

Soil

Obedient Plant 'Summer Snow' prefers well-draining soil with a rich organic content. A mix of two parts garden soil, one part peat moss, and one part perlite would create an ideal growing medium. This plant thrives in a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0, which is slightly acidic to neutral.

Repotting

Obedient Plant 'Summer Snow' should be divided and repotted every 2 to 3 years to ensure vigorous growth and prevent overcrowding. Spring is the best time to repot and divide this perennial to allow it to establish in the growing season.

Humidity & Misting

Obedient Plant 'Summer Snow' does well in average humidity levels typical of outdoor conditions. It's not particularly demanding in terms of humidity, so there's no need to provide additional humidity in a garden setting.

Suitable locations

• Indoor

  Place in bright, indirect light and keep soil moist.

• Outdoor

  Plant in partial sun; ensure soil drainage; mulch in winters.

• Hardiness zone

  3-8 USDA

Life cycle

Obedient plant 'Summer Snow' begins its life cycle with seed germination, usually in late winter or early spring, as temperature and moisture levels become favorable. The seedlings then develop into a rosette of leaves close to the ground, leveraging the spring warmth and moisture to establish a root system. As the plant matures, it sends up vertical stems during late spring to early summer, which are characterized by their square shape, a trait common to plants in the mint family. By mid to late summer, the 'Summer Snow' variety starts blooming, producing white spikes of flowers that can be bent into position, hence the name "obedient plant." After pollination, often by bees and butterflies attracted to the blooms, the flowers develop into seed capsules by late summer to fall, dispersing seeds for the next generation. Finally, as temperatures drop, the Obedient plant 'Summer Snow' enters dormancy, with its foliage dying back to the ground until the cycle resumes with the next thaw.

Propogation

• Propogation time

  Late summer to early fall

• Physostegia virginiana 'Summer Snow', commonly known as the Obedient Plant, is best propagated in the late spring or early summer. The most popular method of propagation for this perennial is by division. To propagate by division, carefully dig up the plants and gently separate the clumps into smaller sections, ensuring that each new section has several shoots and a healthy root system. These divisions can then be immediately replanted into a well-prepared garden bed or into pots if desired. Water the newly planted divisions thoroughly to help establish them. This method allows for quick multiplication of plants and helps to rejuvenate older clumps that may have become too dense.