Plant types and subtypes: Perennials, Ground Covers
Light Requirements: part-sun, part-shade, shade
Water Use: medium
Soil Moisture: moist
Soil Description: acid, neutral, alkaline, rich, average, loam, clay, sand
Height: 8"-18"
Bloom Time: March, April, May, June
Bloom Color: white, pink, lilac, lavender, blue
Leaf Color: green
Hardiness Zone: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Additional Tags: attracts butterflies, attracts hummingbirds, clumping, fragrant flowers, mat-forming, naturalizing, pond margin plant, rock garden plant, shade garden plant, stream margin plant, woodland plant
Pricing & Availability
Description
Phlox divaricata
Also known as:wild blue phlox
,Louisiana phlox
,blue woodland phlox
,sweet william
,blue phlox
Description
The wild blue phlox will produce loose clusters of whitish to lavender, fragrant flowers, atop a delicate green mat of leaves. This is a low growing phlox, rarely reaching 18 inches tall.
Cultivation
Phlox divaricata is an ideal flowering ground cover for shade. It will tolerate more sun in cooler areas. Very easy to grow in a variety of soils, it will slowly colonize as its branching stems make contact with the ground and begin to root. A good layer of mulch is recommended in hotter climates to keep the roots cool and moist. A spring bloomer, any time from March to June depending on its geographic location. Zones 4-8
Propagation
Propagate from seed, root division, or layering in late spring.
Additional Notes
Great for rock gardens and borders, Phlox divaricata combines beautifully with early spring bulbs. Just as for other phlox species, it is susceptible to powdery mildew and should be planted where it will get good air circulation.
Native Range & Classification
Recorded County Distribution: USDA data
Native Range:
AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV
USDA Endangered Status:
- Endangered: NJ
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants | |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants | |
| Superdivision | Spermatophyta | Seed plants | |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants | |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons | |
| Subclass | Asteridae | ||
| Order | Solanales | ||
| Family | Polemoniaceae | Phlox family | |
| Genus | Phlox | phlox | |
| Species | Phlox divaricata | wild blue phlox |