Phlox

Have you seen that purple and white phlox growing on the side of the road lately?  Well, what seems to be phlox?  It’s a great color combo and every time I see it I am reminded of why I like it.  It’s not really phlox, but an introduced flower in the mustard family called Dame’s Rocket or Hesperis matronalis.  The easiest way to tell the difference is Dame’s Rocket has 4 flower petals and Phlox has 5.  The phlox we often confuse with Dame’s Rocket is Woodland Phlox.  It grows in moist shade, blooming with white to purple clusters of flowers (see below).

Woodland Phlox

Broadleaf Creeping Phlox, Phlox stolonifera (photo below), has a similar flower but the reddish trailing stems root out where they touch the ground.  Its creeping habit makes it a great groundcover that blooms in May.  The best part is that this Phlox can grow in sun or shade.  This is a great groundcover to plant under taller trees or plants that like their roots cool.  As the tree grows it creates shadier conditions and the phlox is perfectly fine with that, enjoying both sun and shade. 

 

Broadleaf Creeping Phlox

Moss Pink, Phlox subulata, is the most commonly seen Phlox.  It is very low growing, not getting much higher than 4”.  It grows as a dense mat that can keep even the most stubborn weeds at bay, making it a great groundcover or lawn substitute.  It becomes covered in white, blue, or pink flowers in April to May.  Once it gets going, expect it to spread up to 2’ in diameter.  This is a tough groundcover that looks gorgeous spilling over walls or rocks and doesn’t mind clay or rocky soils as long as its in full sun.

And let’s not forget that charming cottage plant, Garden Phlox or Phlox paniculata.  This one blooms in early to mid summer and is taller, reaching 3’-4’ on average.  There are many varieties of cultivars, including pure white ‘David’, or the pink butterfly magnet, ‘Jeana’.  This phlox has a very sweet scent and likes full sun.

The pink, white, and blue color on all the phlox species adds a feminine touch.  By having a patch of each you can enjoy its delicate grace blooming in your garden from April to August.