Phlox is an old-fashioned classic. Many would say that a garden isn’t complete without them, whether in its spring-blooming creeping form, or tall summer blooming Garden Phlox.
Creeping Phlox is a good groundcover, best planted at the front of the border or where it can drape over a stone wall.
Garden Phlox is long-blooming, can be sweetly scented, and is a good source of nectar for butterflies. Rarely started from seed at home, most Phlox are purchased at a garden center and can be planted in spring through autumn.
Care: Good air circulation is vital for all Phlox, or it will get powdery mildew. Phlox can be preyed on by rabbits and deer, so be prepared to use repellant measures if necessary.
Creeping Phlox Moss Pink
Scientific Name: Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Pink’
Zone: zone 3, zone 4, zone 5, zone 6, zone 7, zone 8
Type: perennial, groundcover
Sun: Full sun to partial sun
Height: Up to 6 inches tall
Width: Up to 18 inches wide
Bloom: Pink flowers in late spring
Uses: Groundcover, border fronts, at stone walls
Special features: drought tolerant, easy to grow
Creeping Phlox is a low, mounding plant smothered in bright pink flowers in spring. Its slender, half-inch leaves are evergreen, stiff and prickly. It seldom tops 6 inches tall.
Creeping Phlox
Scientific Name: Phlox stolonifera ‘Sherwood Purple’
Zone: zone 2, zone 3, zone 4, zone 5, zone 6, zone 7, zone 8
Type: perennial, ground cover
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Height: up to 6”
Width: up to 12”
Bloom: Purplish blue in April/May
Uses: ground cover, woodland garden, native garden, bird & butterfly garden, naturalized areas, rock garden, border
Special Features: Tolerates deer & rabbits, drought tolerant, spring color
Creeping Phlox forms a dense, flowering mat that’s appropriate for the front of the border or perched at the top of a rock wall. Trim back after flowering to tidy up, as well as prevent powdery mildew and rampant reseeding.
Garden Phlox
Scientific Name: Phlox paniculata ‘David’
Zone: Zone 3, zone 4, zone 5, zone 6, zone 7, zone 8
Type: Perennial
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Height: up to 36”
Width: Up to 36”
Bloom: White in July- September
Uses: Borders, beds, cutting garden, cottage garden, bird & butterfly garden
Special Features: Lightly fragrant flowers, powdery mildew resistant, cutting flower, likes rich, well-drained soil
David Garden Phlox is a white-panicled, fragrant, improved cultivar that is more powdery mildew resistant than older varieties. It is still best practice to not crowd them or water from overhead.
Garden Phlox
Scientific Name: Phlox paniculata ‘Purple Flame’
Zone: Zone 4, zone 5, zone 6, zone 7, zone 8
Type: Perennial
Sun: Sun to partial sun
Height: Up to 48 inches
Width: Up to 36 inches
Bloom: Purple from July-September
Uses: Borders, beds, cutting garden, cottage garden, bird & butterfly garden
Special Features: Lightly fragrant flower, cutting flower, likes rich, well-drained soil, do not crowd
