Expore, enjoy and protct.
Prince William Conservation Alliance PWCA Calendar Blog Resources Support PWCA

  Photos © Kim Hosen; Merrimac Farm Wildlife Management Area, Nokesville VA; August 2008
Text by Samantha Bohn
 

Garden Phlox
Phlox paniculata

Phlox family, Polemoniaceae

Garden Phlox is a perennial plant that often blooms in late summer, sometime between June and August, and is the latest-blooming species of phlox. This species most often grows to be anywhere from two to four feet tall, and is a flowering plant that produces flowers in shades of white, pink, red, coral, lavender, and violet. The flowers are tubular in shape and have five petals.

In general, garden phlox is a fragrant plant that prefers lots of sun and moist organic soils. It is often found in wooded areas, thickets, and meadows, and spans across the Eastern United States as well as Washington State and Utah. While it is native to many of these areas, its range has most likely been expanded as a result of cultivation.

It is considered a Facultative Upland plant by the Army Corps of Engineers, meaning that it can occur in wetlands, but that it generally grows in non-wetland areas. It is known to attract butterflies who use the plants as a nectar source and as a part of their reproductive cycle. Garden Phlox also attracts hummingbirds, who also use the plant as a source of nectar, and other pollinators such as bees.

While it is a beautiful plant, it can sometimes be difficult to grow because of its susceptibility to powdery mildew and plant bugs.

References:

1.http://www.finegardening.com/
garden-phlox-phlox-paniculata

2.http://www.missouribotanical
garden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinder
Details.aspx?kempercode=l610

3. https://www.prairiemoon.com/
seeds/wildflowers-forbs/phlox-
paniculata-garden-phlox.html