Obedient Plant

In late summer, Obedient Plant steals the show. This plant forms neatly stacked clusters of pink flowers which look stunning up close and at a distance, and its toothed foliage is also quite attractive. It's fun to watch bumblebees crawl in and out of the flowers, which are just the right size and shape. This oddly-named plant has a unique feature - bend its flowers in any direction and they will "obediently" stay put. Despite its name, a little extra maintenance is required to control this vigorous grower, which is particularly well-suited to wet soils.

• Well established Obedient Plants may benefit from a "Chelsea Chop" - prune growing stems in half in late spring or early summer to reduce overall height and improve bushiness
• If floppy, taller stems can be staked to improve appearance
• Spent flowers can be deadheaded to prolong overall bloom time
• Watch for seedlings by year two or three and on as they may need to be policed to keep this plant from spreading somewhat aggressively