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Luminary ™ ' ultraviolet light ' Tall Garden Phlox . Photo by : Proven Winners .
A cottage garden mainstay , phlox owe its abide popularity to its clouds of billowy peak and no - fuss nature . But the genuine icing on the bar is the long flowering season , with varieties beginning to bloom in other natural spring and others blossom until the first hard Robert Lee Frost in fall . “ Phlox carries the garden through the dog days of summer , holding down the fort until the aster and blaze virtuoso get on plank , ” say plant specialist James Locklear , author ofPhlox : A raw story and Gardener ’s Guide .
You ’ll also findphloxin nearly every hue on the colouration wheel , even hard - to - regain shades of blue . In fact , the choice of colors and cultivars is so vast , it can be scare to opt among them . Here ’s a look at some of our top choice , along with advice for incorporating phlox into your own garden .
On this page : Basics|Types|Growing|Care Tips|Pictures|Using in the Garden
PHLOX BASICS
Zones:
Perennials hardy in zona 3 or 4 through 9 , depending on the species;Phlox drummondiiis an annual .
Height:
6 inch to 4 feet tall , bet on the type .
Flowers:
Dainty five - petaled flowers are pack by the wads into slow clump , or panicles . The flowers are often sweetly fragrant , and some cultivar have central eyes in contrast color .
Foliage:
While most have dark-green leaf , some have variegated leafage with creamy white or yellow margins .
Bloom time:
reckon on the eccentric . Phlox are often categorized as early season , midseason , and later season blooper . By planting varieties of each , you ’ll have flowers all summertime long and well into fall .
Pros:
Cons:
TYPES OF PHLOX
' Opening Act White ' Phlox hybrid . Photo by : Proven Winners .
Phlox paniculata:
Phlox drummondii:
Phlox divaricata:
Phlox stolonifera:
Phlox subulata:
GROWING PHLOX
Light requirements:
Although phlox flowers well when given full sunshine , most are native to open or permeate woodlands and do n’t beware a second of tone , specially when grown in red-hot southern mood . As a general rule , aim for about 6 hours of sun exposure daily .
Soil:
Grow in moist , fertile , well - drain dirt enrich with a stratum of compost or other organic topic . Phlox prefer soil that ’s more or less alkaline and will benefit from regular applications of caustic lime if your soil tends to be acidulous ( seeGarden Soil 101 ) .
How to plant:
If you are growing bare - stem or potted plants , put them in the ground in fountain after the danger of frost is retiring , spacing plants about 18 to 24 inches apart to check in effect breeze circulation . Thoroughly water , and then enforce a layer of mulch around the root zone to help keep the origin cool and moist . you’re able to also grow from germ , but they must be start indoors in belated wintertime ( seeSeed start ) .
Photo by : Pelevina Ksinia / Shutterstock .
PHLOX CARE TIPS
Watering:
Phlox does n’t care drought and should be watered during wry enchantment or whenever you see the foliage begin to wilt . Ideally , they should obtain about an inch of water per calendar week during the develop season . To keep foliage healthy , water in the morning and at the rootzone , rather than overhead .
Pruning and deadheading:
Phlox does n’t usually require pruning , but if you want to delay blooming and get bushier plant with more flower heads , cabbage or edit out back the stem by one - third to one - half in early summertime . Deadheading the spent peak may also extend the efflorescence geological period and prevent phlox spreading from undesirable reseeding .
Diseases:
The # 1 enemy of phlox ispowdery mold , peculiarly in humid climate during the blistering , muggy days of summertime . works originate in partial ghost are also more susceptible . The best preventative step is to improve air circulation by thinning plants in early spring . Also , provide adequate space when planting and calculate for mold - immune cultivar .
Pests:
Phlox can also be susceptible to damage byspider mites .
Dividing perennial phlox:
To prevent overcrowding and improve the zip of your plants , divide them every 3 to 4 year . Telltale signaling that phlox is ready for division include sparser blooming and marrow that get down to weaken or pass out .
Winter care for perennial phlox:
After the first killing freeze , trend back the stems just above above the territory line and move out and toss out the foliation , especially if your industrial plant have been strike by powdery mould . In colder regions , protect the roots by applying a layer of mulch before the ground freezes .
PICTURES
Photo by : Proven Winners .
Luminary ® ' Prismatic Pink'—Buy from Proven WinnersP. paniculata
Zones:3 - 8
Height / Spread:32 to 34 inch tall , 24 to 28 inch wide-cut
blooming sentence : Mid to later summer
This native loan-blend has classic bubblegum pink blossom with a glum pinkish eye that form large , heavy panicle atop the sour green foliage . Perfect sizing for mid - border and a corking cutting blossom .
Intensia ® Blueberry — bargain from Proven WinnersP. drummondii
Zones : turn as an annual
Height / Spread:10 to 16 inch improbable and encompassing
salad days clock time : former summer to hard Robert Frost
first-class heat , drouth , and disease tolerance . A great choice for landscape painting with good drain and containers .
Intensia ® Red Hot — Buy from Proven WinnersP. drummondii
' Opening Act Ultrapink'—Buy from Proven WinnersPhloxhybrid
Zones:4 - 8
Height / Spread:22 to 28 inches tall , 32 to 36 inch wide
flower fourth dimension : early on to late summer
impart a long time of year of colour with the rose - pink flowers of this mildew and disease - resistant variety .
' Opening Act Pink - a - Dot'—Buy from Proven WinnersPhloxhybrid
Height / Spread:22 to 26 column inch tall , 30 to 36 inch wide
The near - blank heyday on this disease - resistant , perennial variety have a blue pinkish center .
Spring Bling ™ ' Pink Sparkles'—Buy from Proven WinnersPhloxhybrid
Height / Spread:4 to 8 in tall , 24 to 28 column inch spread
efflorescence time : Mid to recent spring
Soft , babe pinkish flowers make this perennial phlox a beautiful flat coat cover . Plant in full Dominicus for best flowering .
' David’Phlox paniculata‘David '
Height / Spread:3 to 4 feet tall , 2 to 3 feet broad
Large head of perfect whitened flowers be adrift like clouds among the other perennials in the summertime garden . A salutary selection for growing in hot , humid climate because it is one of the most mildew - resistant diversity .
picture by : Walters Gardens , Inc.
' Bright Eyes’P. paniculata
Height:18 to 24 inches tall
Bloom time : Mid - summer to early fall
Two cheerful wraith of pinkish in one bloom . Huge domed stadium - shaped heyday heads are up to 9 inches long .
Photo by : Olga Glagazina / Shutterstock .
' Blue Ridge’P. stolonifera
Height:6 to 10 column inch tall
Showy , fragrant lavender - blue flowers bloom on this mound perennial phlox . Use as an alternative to vinca .
USING PHLOX IN THE GARDEN
Intensia ® Blueberry phlox in front of Luscious ® Bananarama ™ lantana and ColorBlaze ® Rediculous ® coleus . Photo by : Proven Winners .
Few industrial plant can perk up the ache midsummer landscape like phlox . Use them wherever you need to add up a lick of color .
Updated 3/11/21
