Plants

What is Cattail Plant?

The cattail is an abundant plant in many parts of the United States. Cattail (genus Typha), a genus of about 30 species of tall marsh plants (family Typhaceae), found mainly in the temperate and cold regions of the northern and southern hemispheres. The plant grows in fresh or slightly rough water and is considered aquatic or semi-aquatic. Cattails are essential for wildlife, and many species are decorated as pond plants and dry flower arrangements.

Cattails are aquatic plants that are typically found in stagnant waters, especially at the edges of swimming pools, lakes, swamps, and coasts. The stem of the typhus plant grows 3 to 10 feet high below the water surface, producing a robust vertical stem and thin leaves. The “flower” is the famous part of the shape of a hot dog near the top of the stem. Inside the flower, there are thousands of seeds of light, dispersed by the wind.

Scientific Classification of Cattail Plant

Kingdom:  Plantae

Clade:    Tracheophytes

Order:   Poales

Family:  Typhaceae

Genus:   Typha

How to Grow a Cattail plant?

If you have water gathering in your garden, like a pond or a swamp, cattails (Typha latifolia and T. Angustifolia) improve the eyes. Their sword-like brown leaves and inflorescences, which resemble cattails, have a unique architectural feature in the landscape. The “tails” of these plants provide nutrient-rich food for birds, bees, and other animals, as well as nesting materials.

From Seeds

Cattails are best grown from divisions, but will also grow reliably from seeds. The seeds germinate quickly in hot and humid conditions and will be ready for transplanting in a few months. Follow these steps to grow a cattail plant in your water garden.

• Collect the seeds in late summer when the brown sausage seed heads begin to dry out and dissolve. Snip the seed heads and put them in a large paper bag. Fold the sealed pouch and leave it in a warm, airy place for a week or two weeks to dry the seeds.
• Take the paper bag to a sheltered area with protection from the wind, such as inside the home. Take away the seed heads from the pack. Grip the end of the seed head and strip off the cottony seed matter into a bucket using your hand.
• Soak them for 24 hours, occasionally stir the water. Strain out the water the next day. Collect the dark brown thin seeds from the cotton seed material. Discard the cotton material. Rollout the seeds on a paper towel to dry them while you prepare the pots.
• Fill the pots 2 inches deep with a moist mixture of half made up of starter seeds and half coarse sand. Put two or three cattail seeds in each pot. Gentle press the seeds on the compost surface, then cover with a 1/4 inch thick layer of compost and sand.
• Place the pots on a within a cold frame. Set the temperature on about 100 Fahrenheit. Protect the pots with a clear plastic propagation dome to keep the heat from the germination mat around the seeds.
• Maintain the same level of humidity in the compost mixture. Water with a spray bottle instead of irrigation can limit seed ailments. Quickly the moisture level in the compost at least twice a day to make sure it doesn’t dry out completely.
• Watch the first signs of sprouting in two weeks. Remove the germination mat and the propagation dome after the buds appear then separate the cattail plants to one per pot. Keep both shoots stronger, more vigorous, and remove the weaker ones.
• Transplant cattail seedlings into individual 4-inch greenhouse pots filled with moist quickly drained soil. Grow them in partial shade for a month or two. Provide 1 to 2 inches of water every week. Slightly increase water if the weather is very hot and dry.
• Transplant cattails to a permanent location in early autumn, possibly after the first rain. Plant them 3 feet apart in consistently moist soil.

How to Care Cattail Plant?

Fertilizer

If the fish live in the pond or water garden where you are planting cattails, adding fertilizers is not suggested. Chemical fertilizers can destroy fish or make them sick, and the fish will provide a natural fertilizer to keep plants healthy. If there are no fishes in the pond or the water garden, slow-release tablets or granular fertilizers can be applied through the growing season. Select a fertilizer with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) ratio of 5-10-5, 10-6-4 or 12-8-8, and use it at an amount of 4 ounces per 1 cubic foot of soil. Apply the tablet fertilizers directly to the ground or wrap the granular fertilizer in the coffee filter paper to make it easier to bury them in the submerged soil.

Control the Growth

Cattails spread antagonistically from seeds and underground roots. Growing in a pot water garden will control the spread of the roots, but the seeds can spread to nearby wetlands. If grown in a pond or stream, cattails can spread to fill the entire shoreline if their growth is left unchecked. To keep cattails confined to an area of ​​the pond, new plants need to be removed regularly. Unsolicited cattails can be triggered when they reach 6 inches above the water surface. Make sure to remove the whole plant, including as many roots as possible. An alternative method of control is to cut new green shoots that come out of the water using sharp shears or gasoline shaving equipment.

Uses of Cattail Plant

There are some incredible uses of Cattail Plant from good taste to fashion uses:

• Every part of the cattail is edible throughout the seasons of the year. During the late fall and early winter, the roots can be harvested to make flour.
• The green leaves of cattail can be used to make shelter, Roofs made of these leaves are so strong that they can protect you from rain, wind or snow without losing any of their strength.
• This poultice from the root of the plant can be used for insect bites (spiders!), stings, scrapes, burns, and more. Burns can be treated with the fluff from the flowers and also useful for preventing diaper. Plus, young flowers can treat diarrhea.
• The dried leaves of the plant are also useful for fashion. You can use the fluff from the head of the plant to insulate jackets, coats, shoes, pants, and other clothing.
• The leaves are used for making strong rope and hand waved baskets.

Where can I buy Cattail Plants?

You can contact your local nurseries as well as local florists to buy cattail plants. You can also find cattail plants stem and seeds for sale in Amazon and Etsy.

What is Purple Heart Plant?

Purple Heart Plant is a perennial, with purple stems and purple-violet leaves that produce pink flowers in the summer. This plant is mainly grown from its foliage (the leaves can be 7 inches long), the optimal color obtained in sunlight, and a dry and narrow root area. It is nice as a ground cover or in hanging containers or baskets. It grows 8-12 inches tall and 16 inches wide.

From mid-summer to autumn, and sporadically at other times, bright pink or pale purple flowers bloom with golden yellow stamens at the ends of the stems. These ½ “full flowers have three typical petals of this genus.

Scientific Classification of the Purple Heart Plant

Scientific name: Tradescantia pallida

Family: Commelinaceae

Kingdom: Plantae

Higher classification: Spiderwort

Order: Commelinales

Rank: Species

What types are available of Purple Heart Plant?

Spiderwort ‘Tradescantia Virginiana’

Spiderwort is a spring-blooming flower, a perennial plant native to North America with long strap leaves, widely grown during the flowering week. The spider has a relaxed, grass-like shape, dotted with quarter-hour flowers that last only one day. Fortunately, each plant produces many. Flowers are light blue petals very popular, but some varieties bloom in white, pink, and purple. They usually close in the afternoon sun and last only one day.

Boat Lily ‘Tradescantia Spathacea’

Tradescantia spathacea is a beautiful succulent introduced to South Asia and many Pacific islands from its native range in tropical America. Although not yet confirmed as a pest, in many areas, it is a highly invasive weed, especially in Florida, where it is invading and disturbing native plant communities. Tradescantia spathacea creates a dense ground cover on the forest floor, which prevents native plants from sprouting.

Inch Plant ‘Tradescantia Zebrina’

Inch Plant grows in house. It has attractive variegated foliage green, white, and gray striped with purple backgrounds. The leaves are ovate and squeeze the stem at the base. Small lavender-purple violet flowers are rarely indoors. The leaf nodes on the stem are thought to be 1 inch apart, so the plant in inches is a common name. It bears a wide range of growing conditions. Preferably under the filtered sun, medium ambient temperatures, and moist but well-drained soil.

How to grow Purple Heart Plant from cutting?

With a purple heart plant, the propagation of cuttings is as simple as sticking them directly into a damp soil or potting soil and keeping them humid until you see signs of new growth. Get cuttings from purple indoor plants or from the nursery, whenever it actively grows and from outdoor plants in spring or summer.

Grow your plant in bright light all year round for good foliage color. It will grow in low light conditions, but the leaves will be greener than purple. Give it direct sunlight, but protect it from the hot midday summer sun to burn its leaves.

How to care Purple Heart Plant?

Soil requirement

The ideal is a peat-based moss impregnation mix, such as the African violet impregnation mix.

Light requirement

Intense light is needed to maintain a dark purple color. A little sun is fine, but keep your plant in the shade from the strong summer sun. The long spaces between the leaves indicate that Tradescantia pallida need more sunlight.

Temperature requirement

The medium-warm room temperature (65-80 ° F / 18-27 ° C) is ideal for this plant all year round. Purple hearts bring different temperatures to at least 50 ° F / 10 ° C in winter. Keep away from drafts and sources of heat/air conditioning.

Water requirement

Water thoroughly, then let the top 2.5 cm dry between irrigations—water less in winter when growth is slower. Soft and dried stems can be a sign of root rot; cut an entire stalk at ground level.

Fertilizer Requirements

The purple heart uses soil nutrients efficiently and needs a little extra fertilizer. Pot plants or those grown in poor soils or particularly rapid drainage during the active growing season may require nutrient enrichment to improve its rotten and violet foliage. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of multipurpose fertilizer, ratio 15-15-15 in 1 gallon of water. Apply the solution monthly and look for foliage that looks pale or washed out, which is a sign of overeating. Reduce nourishing to once every two months if the heart foliage is pale purple or begins to produce an abundance of legs, small growth.

Uses of Purple Heart Plant

• The pigment of its is used as a food colorant.
• It can be used as indoor air purifying plant.
• Plants purify and clean the air.

Purple Heart Plant is a medicinal plant and has some uses for traditional medicinal:

• The Ayta communities from Porac, Pampanga plants are used for sore eyes.
• It is also used to improve circulation and as anti-inflammatory and antitoxic.

What is Swiss Cheese Plant?

A Swiss cheese plant, also known as Monstera Adansonii, got its name from its large, heart-shaped leaves, which are covered with aging, with holes similar to Swiss cheese. The house plant, part of the Araceae family native to South and Central America, is easy to grow and loves to climb.

Swiss cheese plant thrives in most home interiors. The plants are dense vines that support other vegetation in nature when planted in the garden and produce long roots from the stem to supplement this support. The Monstera houseplant may need abstinence but still produces stiff roots from the strain. The best plant to increase the beauty of the house with its large leaves, an easy-to-leaf plant with characteristic cracks in the leaves. It should be replaced every few years to ensure adequate soil nutrition and space for the rapidly growing plant.

Scientific Classification of Swiss Cheese Plant

Kingdom:             Plantae

Order:                  Alismatales

Family:                 Araceae

Genus:                  Monstera

Species:               M. deliciosa

Types of Swiss Cheese Plant

There are more than 41 species are found all over the world; some of the common species are explained below:

Monstera Acuminata

Monstera Acuminata germinates in the soil and grows horizontally like a low-protein herb. The juvenile plant is much smaller and heart-shaped with thick, round waxed leaves that grow in two stages and overlap with the elliptical stem in cross-section and internodes of 1-5 cm long and asymmetrical leaves.

Monstera Punctulata

This plant is 15 meters tall. Juveniles have a flattened stem, although the adult stem is brown and is 3-4 centimeters. It is also tuberculate, and the subterete and internodes are 3-6 centimeters long. The petiole species is smooth or tuberculous and can climb close to white spots 30-55 centimeters long. They are also vaginate to the geniculum with their deciduous sheath wings, which are sometimes fibrous at the base of the petiole.

How to grow Swiss Cheese Plant?

In Pot

• Choose a well-light indoor location (outdoor sunlight) or a similarly protected area in a yard.
• Fill the jar with soil potting mix.
• Replace the plant from its container; try not to disturb the roots too much. Prune from older leaves.
• Place the plant in the new pot. Fill around the plant with potting mixture and water well.
• Water regularly in the summer but drop in the winter when conditions change.

In Garden

• Choose a well-drained shaded area in the garden and prepare the planting area well by digging in a Dynamic.
• Dig a hole in the prepare the area, place the plant at the bottom of the planting hole, gently fill in around the plant root ball with soil, and then water well.
• Enhance effective plant fertilizer and soil yates around the root zone during the spring to mid-autumn growing season to promote good soil health and healthy green foliage.
• Top with organic mulch, such as bark flakes, sugar cane, or pea straw and water well. Don’t water them because they don’t like wet feet.

How to Care Swiss Cheese Plant?

Soil

The best is peat-based potting soil to grow this plant with a large waste water hole. Peat helps hold moisture in the soil without letting it soak. For strong growth, try a soil pH of 5.5 to 7.0.

Light Requirement

The Monstera Adansonii is native to the jungles of Central and South America, so they grow in the wild under the cover of trees. Therefore, plants grow best in indirect sunlight. If present in direct sunlight, limit it to only 2-3 hours of the morning sun.

Water Requirement

Before watering a Swiss cheese plant, do the mound test – pinch your finger on the mound on the top of the soil to see how wet or dry the soil is. If the soil is almost dry, water it. The soil should not dry out completely.

Humidity

The Swiss cheese plant needs medium and high humidity to thrive. As the plant is native to humid tropical climates, so it requires a good level of moisture in the air. If your home has normal humidity levels or especially dry air, you will need to take action to counter it.

Fertilizer Requirement

This plant will need monthly fertilizers from the initial spring to late summer. A composed fertilizer or one with a higher nitrogen content will help stimulate very new greenery leaves growth. Liquid fertilizers are the best choice for home plants, as you can dilute them as needed based on how your plant reacts. Houseplants are susceptible to the combustion of fertilizers, so it is always better to take caution and put your plant of too small rather than too much fertilizer.

Uses and Benefits of Swiss Cheese Plant

There are some benefits to keeping Swiss Cheese Plant as a house plant:

• The most important advantage, make your office, home more attractive with its unique and beautiful leaf motifs.
• It can purify the air and is useful for humidifying air conditions.
• Its fruits are rich in vitamin C, proteins, a bit of vitamin B, calcium, phosphorus, and without fats, but it is poisonous if it does not mature completely.
• It can cure you for various diseases and health problems such as arthritis and insect or snake bites.

Where can I buy the Swiss Cheese Plant?

You can always find Swiss Cheese Plant for sale in your local nursery or your nearest florists. You can also buy from online stores like Amazon and Etsy.

What is Papyrus Plant?

The papyrus plant (Cyperus papyrus) is an herbaceous perennial plant native to the tropical regions of Africa, including Egypt and the Nile basin. The ancient Egyptians have a reputation for papermaking from this plant so people also refer to it as an Egyptian Papyrus Plant. Since the plant is umbrella-shaped, it is also called the Umbrella plant in some places.

Papyrus is a member of a grass-like group of plants called nutsedges. It produces solid, triangular-shaped stems that can get quite tall, sometimes reaching heights of 6 to 10 feet. When papyrus is in bloom, up to 100 thin, green, thread-like filaments appear in a circular arrangement at the end of each stem. Each of these filaments develops a tiny brown flower at the top that eventually produces seeds. Because papyrus does not produce real leaves, its green stems undergo photosynthesis, providing the plant with nutrients it needs to survive.

Scientific Classification  of the Papyrus Plant

Kingdom:            Plantae

Clade:                  Tracheophytes

Order:                  Poales

Family:                Cyperaceae

Genus:                 Cyperus

Species:               C. papyrus

How to Grow Papyrus Plant?

Papyrus grass is easy to grow. It prefers full sun but can also arise in partial shade. The rhizomes in papyrus are usually planted in moist, fertile soil and then immersed in an aquatic environment. It can be planted directly in 3 feet of the muddy substrate to resist heavy stems.

The plant should be kept moist unless immersed. Papyrus seeds don’t germinate easily and take months or more to germinate. Even in their native conditions, the plant does not spread easily for sowing. Papyrus does not need much extra care to be successful as long as it is kept moist.

How to propagate Papyrus plant

• Divide your papyrus plant in the spring.
• Cut the papyrus rhizomes into groups of two.
• Repot new plants and grow them.
• There is no problem with pests and diseases in this plant so pesticides are not needed for the plant.
• A requirement for optimal growth is full sun exposure, which keeps tall stems stiff.

Can I grow a Papyrus plant Indoor?

Yes, since the plant is ornamental, it can be grown and use as an indoor plant. However, you must provide proper sunlight to the plant so it gets what it needs.

Here is a video on how to grow Papyrus Plant

How to care for a Papyrus Plant?

Light Requirement

It needs full sun but must be sheltered from strong winds to maintain their healthy and luxuriant appearance and, at best, they should be able to form a large colony.

Temperature

Papyrus varies from subtropical to tropical deserts, to humid forests, assuming annual temperatures from 20 ° C (68 ° F) to 30 ° C (86 ° F) and a pH from 6.0 to 8.5.

Watering

Very high humidity requirements; suitable for peat bogs and water gardens.

Feeding

Feed-in the spring monthly until autumn with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted in half. Fertilize only during watering to avoid fertilizer burns.

Potting and re-potting

Divide a ball of papyrus plants grown in containers. Re-pot or throw sections. If the root ball is divided, the plant becomes more vigorous.

Winter Care

Frost or freezing will kill the tops of the papyrus plant, but they can come back if the roots are moderately deep, moistened, or submerged. If you are winter in low light, keep the night temperatures cold in the 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the plant evenly humid or place the plant container in a deep salad filled with 1 or 2 inches of water.

Uses of Papyrus Plant

• The fibrous part of the stems has been utilized for making paper.
• The plant is also traditionally used to make formal bouquets funeral garlands, boats, cordage, fans, sandals, matting, corkage, boxes.
• Papyrus stems are useful for waterproofing layers in a wooden ship.
• Papyrus carpets are used for making fences and huts.
• Rhizomes of papyrus are cut into sections and used as beads for a necklace.

Medicinal Uses

Papyrus had several medicinal uses in the past, though it is little. Burnt papyrus sheets and the ash was used to have the action of pulverized charcoal. And was used in the treatment of certain eye diseases, whereas the ash is also used in ulcers from spreading in the mouth or elsewhere.

Where can I buy a Papyrus plant?

You can find a Papyrus plant for sale in your nearest nursery or florist. You can also buy them online on Amazon.com as well as Etsy.com

Jacob’s ladder plant (Polemonium caeruleum)

What is Jacob’s ladder plant?

Jacob’s ladder plant, scientifically named as Polemonium caeruleum of the family Polemoniaceae, is a woodland perennial plant. It is native to Europe and Asia. Some other common names for Jacob’s ladder plant are charity plant, Greek valerian, great American valerian, and many more. It is an herbaceous plant.

The plant grows from 1 foot to 3 feet in height and spread about 1 ½ foot to 2 feet wide. The best feature of Jacob’s ladder plant is its foliage. The plant has a clump of dense leaf stems, and each stem has tiny leaflets just like the fern plant. The booklet rises along the stem forming a ladder formation, also known as pinnate. They have light-green colored leaves—the plant comprised of five bell-shaped petals. The flowers hang like the bells, and they come in different colors like white, pink, lavender, yellow, or blue. The color of the flower depends upon the cultivar. Mostly the flowers are sky blue. Flowers bloom primarily in spring and summer.

Scientific classification of Jacob’s ladder plant

Kingdom: Plantae

Order: Ericales

Family: Polemoniaceae

Genus: Polemonium

Species: P. caeruleum

Varieties of Jacob’s ladder plant

There are commonly two species of Jacob’s ladder plant, which are found in the garden. The first one is Polemonium reptans, and the second one is Polemonium caeruleum. Polemonium reptans is native to the northeast United States. It is a threatened species in some of the states of the US. It is also known as false Jacob’s ladder. Polemonium caeruleum is rarely found in the wild. It is the cultivated variety, which is highly found in the local garden center.

Some of the companion varieties of Jacob’s ladder plant are Hosta, Astilbe, and Bleeding Heart. Some other variations of Jacob’s ladder plant are as follows:-

1. Polemonium caeruleum’ Bressingham Purple’:

Polemonium caeruleum’ Bressingham Purple’ has dark, purple-green colored foliage on stems. This variety of plants produces lavender-blue flowers from early spring to early summer. It is hardy in zones 2-9. Its height grows up to 36 inches tall, and they form clumps up to 24 inches wide.

2. Polemonium boreale:

Polemonium boreale is a low growing, dwarf species having small purple or blue colored flowers on top of 3 inches to 12 inches stems in the late spring. It is hardy in zones 3-9. It is native to areas near the Arctic Circle.

3. Polemonium caeruleum’ Brise_d’Anjou’:

Polemonium caeruleum’ Brise_d’Anjou’ has bright variegated foliage that forms tight 12 inches to 18 inches clumps. This plant produces violet-blue flowers from late spring to the mid-summer. It is hardy in zones 4-8. Its height increases up to 16 inches tall.   

4. Polemonium boreale ‘Heavenly Habit’:

Polemonium boreale’ Heavenly Habit’ is also known as Heavenly Habit Jacob’s Ladder. This plant has violet-blue flowers, and it is hardy in zones 3-7. Its height increases up to 24 inches tall and 16 inches wide.

5. Polemonium reptans’ Touch of Class’:

Polemonium reptans’ Touch of Class’ is also known as Touch of Class Jacob’s Ladder. It is a natural grown perennial plant that has silvery-blue colored flowers in the spring. It is hardy in zones 3-7. Its height grows up to 15 inches tall and 18 inches wide.

How to grow Jacob’s ladder plant?

Talking about how to grow and plant, first of all, let’s talk about its excellent conditions to grow. This plant prefers a shady place to grow with rich and moist soil. Once you have found a suitable place to grow according to the plant’s need, you can propagate the plant. There are two different methods of propagation: by seed and by plant division.

How to grow Jacob’s ladder plant by seed?

Growing the plant by seeds is a faster method, as germination by seeds is done quickly. Steps to propagate Jacob’s ladder plant by seeds are:-

1. Firstly, fill the spot to plant the seed by the mixture of soil and potting mix.
2. Sow the seeds in the soil with a distance of 12 inches to 18 inches apart..
3. Loosely cover the seeds by sprinkling the mud above it.
4. Water it regularly to keep the soil moist.
5. After a few days, you will see the seedlings sprout, and in a year, the foliage of the plant is visible.

How to grow Jacob’s ladder plant by plant division?

For the best result, you should propagate the plant by division method in the early spring. Steps to reproduce Jacob’s ladder plant by division method are:-

1. Gently dig the entire plant from the ground.
2. By tearing apart the root, carefully separate the basal rosettes.
3. Replant each of the plants in the new spot.
4. Water it well for a few weeks to let the plant settle in a new area.

You can also propagate Jacob’s ladder plant through cuttings, but this method fails more often than they succeed.

How to care for Jacob’s ladder plant?

You should take care of Jacob’s ladder plant properly. Some of the tips to care for the plant are listed below:

1. The Jacob’s ladder plant requires partial shade for a better result, too much of direct sun can kill the plant.
2. The soil should be fertile, moist, and rich in organic matters with a pH value of 6.2 to 7.
3. Water the plant regularly so that the soil remains moist, and it does not dry out completely.
4. Fertilize the plant in early summer, mid-summer, and fall.
5. Trim out the foliage when they become brown and torn.
6. If the plant gets too much sunlight, then the foliage may scorch, so it prefers shady places.

Uses of Jacob’s ladder plant

Some of the uses of Jacob’s ladder plant are as follows:

1. It is boiled in olive oil to make hairdressing and black dyes.
2. The flowers of Jacob’s ladder plant is useful for honey bee forage.
3. Jacob’s ladder plant is beneficial for wildlife as it attracts bees and butterflies.
4. Part of the plant that grows above the ground is used to make medicines.
5. This plant was first used as a medicinal herb in ancient Greece to treat toothaches, dysentery, and animal bites.
6. The research said that it is used in the nineteenth century for the treatment of rabies.
7. It promotes sweating.
8. Jacob’s ladder plant acts as an astringent.

This plant is not recommended for human or animal consumption.

Obedient plant(Physostegia virginiana)

What is an Obedient plant?

The scientific name of an Obedient plant is Physostegia virginiana that belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to North America. You can bend the flower in any direction, so it got its original name. By name, this plant is called obedient, but it is not respectful in the garden because it spreads vigorously. Some of the common names of Physostegia virginiana is False Dragonhead. It is a fun plant for children to play and grow.

Talking about the description of the Obedient plant, it is a rhizomatous herbaceous plant. The plant grows 18 to 36 inches tall. They have long, serrated leaves, about 5 inches long and 1 ½ inch wide. The leaves are ovate, and some of them turn into the red during fall. The flower is tubular, having an upper and lower lip. It blooms bottom to top in each spike during the time in between June to September. The flowers form peaks in four vertical rows that come in many colors like white, lavender, purple, and pink. These attractive flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds towards it. The foliage of this plant includes narrow, lance-shape leaves held in a deep-green colored stem. As it is in the mint family, they have shallow rhizome roots.

Scientific classification of an Obedient plant

Kingdom: Plantae

Clade:  Tracheophytes

Order: Lamiales

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: Physostegia

Species: P. virginiana

Types of an Obedient Plant

Different varieties of Obedient plant, also called false dragonhead plant, has different height growth with types of colored flowers. Some of the variations of the Obedient plant are:-

1. Physostegia virginiana “Pink Bouquet”:

Physostegia virginiana is a profuse bloomer, and they have soft pink flowers. Its height grows between 2 feet to 3 feet tall. It is an excellent choice for northern gardeners.

2. Physostegia virginiana “Summer Glow”:

Physostegia virginiana is a tall grower having lavender-pink flowers. Its height increases between 3 feet to 4 feet tall.

3. Physostegia virginiana “Variegata”:

Physostegia virginiana has cream-white edges on the leaves of the plant. It produces pink flowers, and its height increases up to 24 inches tall. It grows well in zones 3-9.

4. Physostegia virginiana “Vivid”:

Physostegia virginiana has short and dense clumps. This variety produces sharp spikes of bright purple-pink flowers, and its height grows up to 2 feet tall. It grows well in zones 2-8.

5. Physostegia’ Crystal Peak White’

Physostegia’ Crystal Peak White’ is also known as Crystal Peak White Obedient Plant. They are small and sturdy plant, which blooms from July to September. They have beautiful white flowers suitable for cottage gardening. Its height increases up to 15 inches tall.

6. Physostegia virginiana ‘Miss Manners.’

Physostegia virginiana ‘Miss Manners’ is also known as Miss Manners Obedient Plant. This plant is slow-growing, and it does not spread rapidly as compared to other varieties. Its height grows up to 30 inches tall and wide.

7. Physostegia virginiana ‘Miss Manners Pink’.

Physostegia virginiana’ Miss Manners Pink’ is also known as Miss Manners Pink Obedient Plant. It is a pink form of Miss Manner Obedient Plant that bears pink flowers in the summer. Its height grows up to 30 inches tall and wide.

How to grow an Obedient plant?

They are a quick growing perennial plant. The obedient flower grows well with other blue herbs such as Catmint, Caryopteris, and Russian sage. They also have high contrast with Asters, Joe Pye Weed, Feather Reed Grass, Coneflowers, and Sedum. You can grow the Obedient plant indoors. The plant grows best in fertile, moist soil with adequate drainage in the presence of the bright sun. Germination of the plant occurs in Spring.

How to grow an Obedient plant from seeds?

Plant the seeds in fall or Spring for better results. Steps to grow Obedient plant from seeds

1. Take a pot and fill with a mixture of potting and soil.
2. Make a shallow hole in the container or pot to add seed in it.
3. It is best to add 2-3 seeds in a single container at a distance of ½ inch.
4. Cover the seeds with mist and potting mix.
5. Water it, and place it in the location where there is full sun.
6. After a few weeks, you will start to notice germination.

You can also propagate the Obedient plant by transplanting the seedlings. It is easy to reproduce the plant through dividing as well.

How to grow an Obedient plant from rhizome?

This plant is also grown from rhizomes, which makes transplanting plants easy.

1. First of all, dig a hole for growing the small plant.
2. Carefully trim the rhizome roots of the plant and wrap them using a damp paper towel.
3. Transplant the wrapped rhizome immediately into the another prepared hole
4. Fill it with soil and potting mix.
5. Water the plant regularly. This keeps the root of the plant moist for healthy growth.
6. Do not allow the mud to dry out completely as it may kill the plant.

How to care for an Obedient plant?

You should take care of the plant properly.

1. This plant can handle partial shade, but it performs well in the full sun.
2. They need at least 12 hours of indirect sun in a day.
3. They prefer moist, fertile, slightly acidic, and well-drained soil with a pH value ranging from 5.5 to 6.3.
4. Unless the signs of nutrient deficiencies are shown by the plant, do not fertilize them.
5. The temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit should be maintained. If the temperature is more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then it can kill the plant.
6. You should cut off the dead stalks to clear the compost and avoid spreading of the plant.
7. Dig a trench around the plant to stop the roots from growing or spreading.
8. Avoid watering the plant during winter

Uses of an Obedient plant

1. This plant looks good in the garden area because of its beautiful flowers.
2. It is an ornamental plant, and it is also used for decorative purposes.
3. Obedient plants are beneficial for wildlife as it attracts honey bees, hummingbird, bumblebees, and many others.
4. It has a bitter taste that keeps herbaceous animals at a distance.

The side effect of an Obedient plant is that this plant is not recommended for animals, and it is deer- resistant also.

What is Horsetail Plant?

Horsetail plant (Equisetum hyemale) is a non-flowering evergreen perennial, also known as a rough horse or scouring rush. It has vertical green stems with lines. The stems of this plant are thin, and it reproduces through spores (not seeds), like ferns. Horsetail also has several other names, such as the central tail, horse pipes, snake grass, and articulated grass.

Scientific Classification of the Horsetail Plant

Kingdom:      Plantae

Clade:             Tracheophytes

Class:              Polypodiopsida

Subclass:       Equisetidae

Order:            Equisetales

Family:           Equisetaceae

Genus:           Equisetum

Types of Horsetail Plant

Great horsetail

It is a native South American plant that can grow from 2 to 5 meters tall.

Water horsetail

Also known as a horsetail swamp, the water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) is a slender, dark green plant with hollow and articulated stems up to 40 inches tall, which has no real flowers or leaves. The shoots have 10 to 30 longitudinal ridges and thin walls, which make them weak. Instead of flowers and fruits, water horses have structures that produce cone-like spores that appear at the ends of the fruiting stems.

Field horsetail

It is of two types of stems (sterile and fertile), which appear each year from the rhizomes. The rhizomes are fleshy and tubular, measuring up to 3/4 inches in diameter and can grow singly or in pairs at the joints. The fertile stems have no chlorophyll and die after spores have been spread. They have dark, creeping rhizomes, of brown wool and are tubular. The stems that measure up to 4 inches in length are fragile, disconnected, and have spore ends.

Scouring Rush Horsetail

The evergreen stems without dark leaves, all fertile and which do not die in autumn, distinguish the abrasive buckwheat (Equisetum hyemale) from the field horses. The stems look similar to field horsetail; they are green, however, with two black bands identical to the sections.  The stem reaches up to 4 feet tall when mature and has a spore cone, called a strobilus, which appears on top in various shades of brown.

How to Grow Horsetail Plant?

The primary requirement for growing a horsetail is abundant water. It will grow in sandy or clayey soil and also in fertile potting soil. It is happy to grow in partial shade or full sun.

Horsetail is grown from nursery plants, not from seeds, although rhizome pieces can be transplanted to grow new plants.

If you can’t find horsetail in your local grocery store or farmer’s market, you can always try growing yours. Horsetail is a rustic plant and a great addition to any garden but can also be invasive. Plant it in a pot or keep an eye on it as the horsetail grows about a meter and a half and will take your garden if you leave it.

A horsetail does not breed. Instead, it grows from the rhizomes – an underground stem similar to a root. You should be able to find young plants or rhizomes in your local nursery. Plant in early spring under full or partial sunshine. A horsetail plant is native to swampy areas and prefers moist soil, high heat, and humidity. If you live in a colder climate, the aboveground part of the plant will turn brown in winter, but the rhizome will survive underground and produce new green shoots in spring.

Where can I buy the Horsetail Plant?

You can buy a horsetail plant in a local nursery and florist. You can also find a horsetail plant for sale in Amazon as well as Etsy. If you are looking to buy dried Horsetail Herb, we suggest the Amazon store is one of the best places to get your desired herb.

Uses of Horsetail Plant

The horsetail is a very precious herb with its high silicon content used in the treatment of osteoporosis. Horsetail is useful to lower blood pressure, as a diuretic, to strengthen brittle nails, stop bleeding gums, relieve sore throats, and as timely treatment of burns and wounds.

• Improving kidney and bladder health
• Promoting a healthy body weight
• Supporting healthy hair and nails
• Easing heavy periods
• Maintaining urinary tract health
• Strengthens our bones and tendons