Phlox 101 - The Freshman Gardener

Phlox is one of my most favorite spring time flowers. Where I live the people love their creeping phlox and it covers flower beds and rock walls like a blanket of flowers. I remember seeing it for the first time by our neighborhood mailbox and taking a picture of it and googling what it was because I was so amazed at how colorful and big it was. If you need a creeping spring flower that will not disappoint, this phlox 101 post is for you.

About Phlox

PERENNIAL
Hardy for zones 3-9
Full to partial sun (at LEAST 4 hours of direct sun a day)
Neutral to slightly acidic soil
Depends on variety but generally blooms spring into summer
FOUR main varieties of phlox
- Creeping / Moss
  - Phlox subulata – grows in mounds 4-6″ thick mostly used as a ground cover and cascading over rock walls. Has spiky foliage. FULL SUN
  - Phlox stolonifera – taller varieties that grow on taller stems up to 10″. Has a more oval shaped foliage. PARTIAL SUN
- Woodland – Phlox divaricate – low growing with spiky leaves but prefers partial to full SHADE. Blooms on 12″ stems above the foliage.
- Garden – Phlox paniculata – Grows 3-5′ tall and wide. Can do full to partial SUN, blooms more in the summer as opposed to the spring.
- Annual – Phlox drummondii – more of an annual. Grows up to 2′. Will bloom longer if deadheaded
Prefer well drained soil and don’t like to be mushy
Can grow from seed, but is easier to propagate and divide from an existing plant
The taller varieties can be prone to powdery mildew
The taller varieties can be used for cut flowers and bouquets
Attract bees and butterflies

PANICULATA – “Backlight” – Romence Gardens

Maintenance

Water from below (ie: drip system) to avoid powdery mildew
Deadhead spent flowers to promote new blooms
Divide perennials every 2-3 years to keep plants healthy and encourage new growth
Fertilize in early spring with slow release, higher phosphate fertilizer to promote better blooms