Apparently there are some pretty tall phlox varieties: Border phlox Phlox paniculata “David” is one; Mile High Pink Phlox is another; Caspian, Hesperis, Kirmeslandler, Old Cellarhole, Robert Poore, Russian Violet are others. Heights of these mention range from suggested 5 feet to about 6 feet. It may be that you have perfect conditions that inspire yours to reach even higher! As for how they got into your garden…an animal or bird may have transported the seed but it’s impossible to know for certain.

You should be able to achieve that effect, if the conditions—soil, sun, and water—are appropriate. Take note of the variety, ask questions about height, and you will not be disappointed. There are many varieties from which to choose (“ground cover” will not give you the desired effect).

You should have no problem. Phlox are perennial. Take note of the guidance above and be prepared to give it time to settle in.

The general guidance for propagating phlox seems to lean toward stem cuttings dipped in rooting stimulant powder.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension explains in detail:

Generally, tip cuttings are easier to propagate than root cuttings. Select second growth of phlox for cuttings. Make tip cuttings 3 to 6 inches long. Treat the base of the cutting with a root stimulant. Leave all foliage on the cutting except the part that will be below the soil line. Insert one cutting per peat pot. Place peat pots of tip cuttings in a lightly shaded place. Cover with a sheet of clear plastic. Check regularly to make sure the cuttings do not dry out. When cuttings do not pull easily out of the soil, they have begun to root. Make holes in the plastic sheet to increase the exposure of the cuttings to the air. This will harden the cuttings. Every few days, enlarge the holes or make new ones.

You can also make root cuttings of phlox. Dig the plants in late summer after they have bloomed. Select pencil-sized roots; cut them into 4-inch sections. Put each piece in a peat pot. Prepare a tray of peat pots as for seeds, except the soil mix should be 2 parts sand, 1 part soil, and 1 part peat moss. Water thoroughly.

This just happens sometimes. Is your phlox getting enough sunlight? It needs 4 to 6 hours of DIRECT sunlight at minimum. As you mentioned, you can also fertilize. Applying Miracle-Gro one time per month should be ample. The only other thing we can think of is crowding. And we have read that lack of pollintors can be a cause.

First, make that kitS, Paul. You’ll need more than one. As to how to move forward, it seems to us that it depends on how much time you have. Kits require preparation and monitoring, then transplanting. Broadcasting … not nearly so much.

Hi Vicki,

Good question! Phlox grows from the main planting and can be stimulated to grow new shoots with mild trimming. Mulch up to the roots, but keep in mind that the ground will be covered over time and excessive mulching is not necessary. 

We hope this helps!

According to the University of Hawaii cooperative extension, Phlox mhnlata which is commonly called Moss Pink is a good choice for warm-weather climates. this is an “evergreen mat-forming perennial that grows to 6 inches high with l-inch-long linear leaves. The .75-inch flowers range in color from red-purple to violet-purple, pink, or white. Easy culture in any garden soil but best with abundant moisture and fertilizer in neutral and alkaline soils, cooler areas with full sun. Rapid cover. Many listed cultivars available.”  I’d ask local nurseries about this phlox or call your local cooperative extension for more on-the-ground advice.

At this point/stage, Jimmie, the most important part of the plant/s is underground. You will not hurt them by cutting them back now.

Unfortunately, bringing it into the greenhouse won’t extend the bloom time–its DNA dictates when it blooms, sets seed, and dies back, and there is nothing to be done to change that. But you could try growing a variety that blooms later in the summer, such as Phlox paniculata ‘Pink Flame’, a dwarf cultivar that grows to be 12 to 16 inches tall.

A hard frost is probably not too far off. Go ahead and get them in the ground (that is a better option that trying to keep them indoors), water well, and insulate them with a heavy layer of mulch around the crown. Or you could plant them in a container, water, mulch, and tuck them up against the house or somewhere with a bit of protection; then transplant them into the garden in the spring.

Nature’s surprises present wonderful opportunities. Sure, clip off a couple/few of the babies and set them in water to see if they sprout. Or use a bit of root powder (available at almost any nursery/garden store) and set them in dirt (per the directions on the package).

Let us know how this goes!

Hi Lennie,

Yes, that is doable. Phlox species grow in Florida. Bear in mind, they prefer moist soil and part shade–their native habitat is deciduous woods and bluffs.

Well, the variety might be the key here. “Bare root” is not a type of plant, it’s simply a descrip of the condition in which you received it, usually shipped, but several types are noted above (see “growth requirements”) and each requires a slightly different moisture level. Based on that, it could be that your moisture/drainage conditions are not suitable. But consider this, too: are your plants getting at least 6 hours of sun? Phlox thrive in full sun; an insufficient amount of sun, even partial shade, will hinder blooms. If this is the case, you should move them. Also, over-fertiliziing, esp giving these plants too much nitrogen, can cause them to grow great stems and leaves but no flowers. A soil test will give you a clue about your soil quality. Does any of that sound like your situation? Phlox do not ask for much. Here’s hoping something here brings these beauties into bloom.

The common tall phlox will not do well in southern Florida, too warm and humid. There is a wild native phlox that will grow well. See http://www.fnps.org/plants/pla....

The phlox is probably reseeding and the offspring are not true to type. 

You may want to wait. The best time to divide phlox is late summer or early fall.

Is your phlox getting enough sunlight? It needs 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight at minimum. Do you fertilize?  Applying Miracle-Gro one time per month should be ample. If your phlox does not bloom next year, you may want to rip it out and begin anew.

Hi Connie,
If you have not divided and replanted the phox recently it may be overcrowded. It's recommended that you divide the plants every 2 to 3 years.

You can deadhead the phlox and you may get some new smaller stems off the main stem and sometimes it will rebloom. In the fall you can dig up the plants and see if you can divide them to create more plants for next year.

The seeds will develop at the same location as the flowers. Once a phlox flower has been pollinated/fertilized, the petals will fade and dry and that part of the plant then will form a seed capsule (aka seedhead, seedpod), which is the "fruit." Inside this capsule are the seeds. Different phlox species may have different forms of seedheads, but see the photos below to get an idea. Note that phlox have seed capsules that, when the seeds are mature, will split open (sometimes "explosively") to release the seeds, so if you see an open capsule, the seeds may already have been distributed. Hope this helps!
 
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Creeping phlox is a hardy perennial with some salt tolerance. In the early spring use the garden hose to spray the area with water and wash off as much of the salt and sand left after the snow melts.

Hi Mercedes,
Most phlox paniculata varieties are cold hardy in US zones 3 to 8, but there are a few varieties that are tender. It's good practice to cut the stems back before winter like you did. Don't give up yet. The plants may still be OK and surprise you with new growth.

Sounds as if you ordered bare-root plants--and yes, they will look dried out and perk up in the growing season. Phlox is usually planted in the spring. It can be planted in fall in early autumn. Fall-planted phlox are more subject to frost heaving, though it's not unusual to receive mail-order plants too late in fall to be planted safely. If you plant them, be sure to add 4 to 6 inches of mulch (hay, pine needles, chipped leaves) as soon as the soil freezes to protect your plants and give them the best chance.

Hi, Aubrey, This all sounds normal... It's fall: Phlox is a perennial, it will die back in autumn (as daylight lessens and cooler temps set in). Cut the plants back to about 3 inches (too much more might damage the crown). Remove debris from the bed to discourage diseases. When it's clear that the warm days are behind us, lay on a protective pillow of mulch. (Doing this too soon, while the soil is still relatively warm, might trigger regrowth.) Since this is the plants' first year, leave them intact, but in future consider that autumn is a good time to divide plants.
Hope this helps!

You can still plant your phlox. It will likely grow new stems from the roots.
You can also try to root the broken stem. Shorten the stem to about 3 to 6 inches long with 2 to 6 leaf nodes. Cut the stem with a sharp knife at an angle just below a leaf node. Remove flowers, buds and lower leaves. Plant the cutting in a pot with equal parts moist coarse sand and vermiculite or perlite. Make sure the lowest leaf node just above the surface.

It's hard to tell what caused the plants to die. There are three common diseases of phlox. Oedema causes rusty blisters on leaves and petals. Parasitic nematodes (roundworms) turn foliage and stems brown and mottled. Powdery mildew creates a dusty white covering on leaves, stems and flowers.
 

Hi Anju,
The phlox should be growing by now. Are the plants brown with now green showing? If you decide to replant amend the soil with compost and a bit of sand for better drainage.

You can cut the phlox back for bushier growth. Early in the season May/early June cut about half off. If you want to experiment cut some less and some more to see how high they will grow.

Good for you! Phlox are so pretty! A lot of this has to do with what type of phlox, where you are, and how much salt we are actually talking about, but in general most phloxes are at least moderately salt tolerant. We have about 15 feet of creeping phlox along our New Hampshire uphill (well, from the bottom) driveway, the bottom end of which is about 8 feet from the road. Over the course of the winter, we shovel and/or snow blow at least a moderate amount of road salt on the lower part of the phlox bed, and it never seems to be any the worse for wear. Give your plants some help. Make sure the bed is well drained to make it easier for any salt to leach through and not hang around. Ask the maintenance men to shovel in the other direction if there’s salt around—maybe bribe them with a muffin a month or whatever? If you foresee a period of above-freezing temps with at least some sun, you can wash salt off your phlox, too—that can be of help. Finally, consider doing a little test: Cover a small part for the winter and see if it makes any difference. Then you’ll know what to do the next year. Good luck!

Phlox is planted in the spring. Whatever your space, look at one plant for every 1 to 2 feet, depending on the variety. 

Is your phlox getting enough sunlight? It needs 4 to 6 hours of DIRECT sunlight at minimum. As you mentioned, you can also fertilize. Applying Miracle-Gro one time per month should be ample. If your phlox does not bloom next year, you may want to rip it out and begin anew.

Deadhead the dead bloom a quarter-inch above the next bud. You can use a pair of snip with sharp scissors or hand pruners.