Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) is in the Mint Family family (Lamiaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,234 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in August.
Nationally it blooms mainly from July to September, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Obedient Plant: observations by month (U.S.)
About Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana (obedient plant, obedience, or false dragonhead) is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to North America, where it is distributed from eastern Canada to northern Mexico. Physostegia are known commonly as obedient plants because a flower pushed to one side will often stay in that position. The name “false dragonhead” refers to the dragonheads of the related Dracocephalum, a genus to which the plant once belonged.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Obedient Plant by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 254 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Ohio | 129 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Minnesota | 110 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Indiana | 63 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Kentucky | 63 | September | Jul–Sep |
| North Carolina | 63 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 62 | September | Jul–Sep |
| Wisconsin | 62 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Vermont | 60 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 42 | August | Jul–Sep |
| New York | 42 | August | Jul–Sep |
| New Jersey | 32 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Virginia | 27 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Maryland | 25 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Iowa | 24 | August | Aug–Aug |
| New Hampshire | 21 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Missouri | 18 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Maine | 14 | August | Aug–Aug |
| North Dakota | 12 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Texas | 12 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Alabama | 9 | September | Aug–Nov |
| Michigan | 9 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Mississippi | 9 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Tennessee | 9 | August | Jun–Sep |
| West Virginia | 9 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Florida | 7 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Georgia | 7 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Arkansas | 6 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Louisiana | 6 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Delaware | 5 | September | Sep–Nov |
| Rhode Island | 5 | August | Jul–Sep |
| South Carolina | 5 | August | Aug–Sep |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Mint Family)
Red Deadnettle
Common Selfheal
Ground-Ivy
Henbit Deadnettle
Wild Bergamot
Lyreleaf Sage
Chia
American germander
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Obedient Plant?
Nationally, August has the most observations, with the main season from July to September.
Where is Obedient Plant most often seen?
The most observations come from Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota.