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Definition of obedient plant
obedient plant
Plural:obedient plants
obedient plant Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
North American A herbaceous perennial plant (Physostegia virginiana) native to North America and belonging to the mint family, characterized by tall spikes of tubular pink, pale purple, or white flowers that temporarily remain in place when physically repositioned.
Example
"The gardener added obedient plant to the perennial border to provide late summer color and attract migrating hummingbirds."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for obedient plant• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The common name derives from the unique physical trait of its individual flowers, which will temporarily stay in whatever direction they are pushed or bent, as if 'obeying' the person handling them.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Obedient plant. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 11, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/obedient plant