Physostegia virginiana Alba - Obedient Plant

Physostegia virginiana 'Alba' is a beautiful variety with white flowers, a remarkable perennial for wetlands.  Robust, very hardy, forming large clumps, this plant is adorned with white flowers arranged in a geometric pattern. When these mischievous flowers are touched, they permanently change their orientation. These plants are magnificent near ponds and other wet areas in full sun. 

Physostegia virginiana Alba belongs to the Lamiaceae family, it is native to the eastern and central parts of North America where it is still found in damp to very wet environments, such as marshes, riverbanks, ditches or wet meadows. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous plant, forming an upright clump of unbranched stems, reaching 60 cm (24in) in all directions. Its growth is quite rapid. The flower spikes, 10-12 cm (4-5in) long, covered with small white tubular flowers, develop in the middle of summer, between June and July, at the top of the stems. The flowers are attached to the axis by a small organ that acts as a joint, allowing them to orient themselves in any direction and maintain their position. They are arranged in 4 rows. The deciduous foliage is composed of lanceolate leaves, 10 cm (4in) long and narrow, with toothed edges, which are shiny green. The plant has a semi-suckering stump, with large white roots resembling bindweed roots, allowing it to slowly spread. The vegetation disappears in winter and regrows in spring. 

Easy to grow in moist soil, Physostegia virginiana 'Alba' is often planted along the edge of a body of water or used for making bouquets, as its flowers are both graphic and hold up well in vases for floral arrangements. This perennial will also find its place in flower and shrub beds, alongside summer asters, white hydrangeas or pastel-coloured shrub roses.