Phlox are perennials and a favorite choice—from ground cover blooming in early spring to the tall phlox blooming in mid- to late summer. Learn more about how to grow and care for your phlox.
These plants sport many star-shaped, colorful flowers when in bloom. Because there are so many varieties and types (many of which are native to North America), you can find a phlox for almost any garden. Truly, their versatility can’t be overstated.
- Low-growing phlox work great as a ground cover.
- Tall phlox are excellent as a colorful backdrop.
- Medium-height varieties can fill in any gaps.
Plus, they’re low maintenance and have a lovely fragrance.
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Grass growing in phlox
I purchased Ortho Grass B Gone to kill the tall grasses growing in my phlox beds....now after reading the entire label I'm concerned that this might kill my phlox plants. Any advice?
Can I split Phlox Plants purchased from a garden center?
The plants are pretty big and I thought since it is end of blooming season here in Long Island NY, I can split them up in two, but not sure it can be done without killing them. They have very extensive roots, and are creeping phlox.
creeping phlox brown after winter
We did not prune our creeping phlox after last blooming season. left it as is & now after a cold winter ( not as much snow. but there were some cold days), the leaves are brown in most places. There is green sprouting here and there but not all over ( This is stretching over like say 12 feet - green shows up here and there) . Should we prune the brown ? It looks sad & I am not sure if it will grow green leaves in these spots.
Any advise please
phlox
to start creeping phlox to spread, do I start at the top or middle of the area I want it to spread.
Creeping Phlox
Creeping phlox will creep towards sunlight. On a sloped or vertical surface, plant creeping phlox at the top so that it can hang and creep with the aid of gravity.
phlox
I have several phlox on the east side of house. Have noticed that there are a couple areas where the phlox have turned completely brown . Should I completely dig those up or wait until next spring. We have not had much rain at all in our area. I have not separated them for a few years also. Please advise.
Failing Phlox
If they normally perform well in those spots, it’s likely just the lack of water that’s causing issues. If you’re able, give them some supplemental waterings in order to get them through autumn. Hopefully, next year will bring a bit more rain and they’re spring back to life!
Tall phlox spreading
My tall phlox is spreading everywhere. Does it spread thru seed or through the root system? I have let some go in places I don’t want it and want to get rid of it but it’s trick in the rock landscape.
Spreading Phlox
Tall garden phlox tends to spread by seed. To prevent this in the future, remove flowers once they’ve started to fade and before seeds are produced. If you pull out the unwanted phlox and are able to get most of the root system, it should not return.
Problem with snails
Old remedy is to save your eggshells, of course rinse them off let them air dry, put them in a brown paper bag or a sandwich bag, whatever, and crush them up with a rolling pin or side of a glass. Sprinkle them around the base of your plants and the sharp edges of the eggshells will cut the snails. Yes, I know that sounds cruel but what do you want? That's how we grow down here in Texas.
Hybrid Phlox Disease
If you have used fertilizer, you added too much or it could be run off from fertilizing another plant but I've seen that with my cosmos. I fertilize something else and it ran off into my cosmos and that's how they looked. I betcha that's it. That's how it grows down here in Texas.
Question by Barry Keller
To answer the question about flox in a container, knowing how fast those roots travel, my guess would be the flox are crowded.
Phlox
I live in Maine, by the ocean. This is the second year something has eaten the top of my Phlox. What is doing it?
Tall Phlox losing bottom leaves
Barry. Many of my phlox also don't have the bottom leaves. I suspect it is either slugs or black vine weevils, both of which come out at night. Slugs in particular munch the whole leaf away. I hunt them with a headlight at night, and capture them in folded up landscape material in the day.
Tall phlox
One of my phlox plants, growing in potting soil in a large pot, each year loses its lower leaves. The leaves turn yellow and fall off. A plant pathologist could not identify any insect or mildew affecting the plant. I have tried to limit watering, sprayed with insecticde/fungicide, and divided the plant. The plant has been growing in partial shade but now moved now to full sun. The plant has been blooming but on largely leafless stems. Any thoughts?
Phlox medium
I have phlox and I find stems laying on ground
stems on the ground
if you mean that the stems collapsed it could be that they are getting too much water from you or from Mother Nature. If you don’t think so, it may be that the soil is retaining water; it is not running off or being absorbed into the ground. ANd/or it may be that mulch is retaining moisture and is up against the stems.
In the spring do you cut back
In the spring do you cut back the dead creeping phlox to Allow regrowth
cutting back
Cutting back is generally recommended earlier in spring, but do it now if this is your best time. Also see above.
phlox
You never say what fertilizer, since we have low blooming, or creeping phlox. Is full sun preferred, or can thy have some shade??? In Western Pennsylvania. Our first attempt. THNX...
Sun? Shade?
See the info at the very top of the page to the right of the picture of phlox and read the recommendations.
Hybrid phlox disease
Hi There,
I have tall, white garden phlox which starts out in the early spring growing and developing nicely. Now, as we enter mid May, the new growth appears stunted, leaves start to roll inward and takes on a light green appearance. Last year the same thing, and so it seems to carry over. No signs of insects, mildew, great drainage, and not overwatering. It also appears my Monarda is Taking on the same disease characteristics. This one has me stumped. Help! Thank you!
Garden phlox
To whom it may concern,
I have two questions my first Questions.....Can I plant Garden Phlox in a pot(Large).Have them bloom in the pot during the summer.Cut down in the fall. Store them in the garage over the winter. Then bring them out, after frost has left in the spring, then have them for the summer in the pots?.......Second question....How and when do I prune/de-bloom the buds, after they bloom the first time, so they can bloom again, during that season.
Thanks for your help.
Phlox Questions
1. Can You Grow Phlox in Pots? Yes, you can grow phlox in a large pot, keeping it outside in spring and summer and in an unheated garage or shed in the winter. You’ll just want to make sure that the potting soil doesn’t dry out entirely at any time; while in winter storage, keep it lightly moist but not as much as you would in spring/summer, while the plants are actively growing.
2. How Do You Deadhead Phlox? By using a technique called deadheading, phlox can be encouraged to keep producing flowers. Deadheading simply involves snipping off the top cluster of flowers that have finished blooming, while leaving any lower flower buds alone. These lower buds will appear just above the leaves. When making the cut, leave about half an inch of stem above the highest buds.
Creeping phlox
Mine had just gotten to the point of spilling over my wall, winter came and a snow plow took out my wall and ripped up one of my plants. I have another that is cascading down the garden can I take some of that and plant it up by the wall that has been rebuilt, or do I start over with a new plant?
Transplanting Phlox
Phlox transplants quite well, so if you can take a chunk of the existing plant that has some roots on it, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting it to grow on top of the wall!
tall phlox
does every blossom produce a seed / i'll only found a few seeds that are about 1/8 " dia. / is divide-separate 2-3 yrs the only way to expand the bed / thanks
Phlox - Thrift
When I was young we had what was called Thrift, it was a beautiful ground cover and is very common in N. Ga. is this the same as Phlox? I tried to move it from my mom's house to mine, but it died. Just wondering if this is the same plant? Thanks
Phlox
I have several large beds of talk phlox. I don't know where they came from, but they self seed every year. So every year I have larger and larger plots of phlox. This is a minimal care plant. I live in northern Nevada. I've given these plants to everyone with the caution that they spread easily. The flowers stay for a long time and are pretty. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbird moths love these. It's fun to watch the moths. Usually in the early evening after dusk. I do cut it down in the spring, so it's not so messy looking. Doesn't require a lot of water.
Phlox
I have grown phlox before in Wisconsin but now I am in South Carolina and every time that I purchase phlox, the flower petals immediately begin to fall off. I know not to water the flower or foliage but try to just water the soil underneath. I am not sure whether I am overwatering, as it gets very hot here in South Carolina.
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