{"id":1520,"date":"2023-06-23T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-23T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/?p=1520"},"modified":"2023-09-04T03:19:55","modified_gmt":"2023-09-04T03:19:55","slug":"creeping-phlox-phlox-stolonifera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/creeping-phlox-phlox-stolonifera\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Grow Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera) In Your Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Phlox stolonifera<\/em>, commonly known as Creeping Phlox, is a beloved evergreen perennial plant. It is cherished for its mat-forming habit and delightful spring flowers, these blanket the plant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Perennial Phlox<\/a> plant typically reachs a height of 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Matt
Phlox stolonifera<\/em> photograph by Laura Blanchard<\/a>; CC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Creeping Phlox stretches out horizontally in a mat forming manner, to reach a spread of about 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m). This makes it a very effective ground coverage plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that Phlox stolonifera<\/em> is often grown for its excellent ground cover capabilities. Especially has it carries a lovely display of fragrant and brightly colored flowers, and that it is not a preferred choice for pesky deer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plants adapt well to USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8 (RHS H6), providing a spectrum of growing regions. A major plus point is that it is not invasive in the United States, ensuring a safer environmental footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Grow Phlox stolonifera in the Garden<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For those keen on growing Phlox stolonifera<\/em>, be aware that the plant flourishes in locations that offer dappled shade to full sun. It enjoys moist, well-drained soil, but can adapt to different soil types, from loamy to sandy, so long as there is good drainage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Creeping
Creeping Phlox image by peganum<\/a>; CC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is best to plant Phlox stolonifera<\/em> during spring or early fall. Once planted, water generously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Phlox stolonifera<\/em> is drought-tolerant once established, it will still benefit from regular watering, particularly during dry spells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creeping Phlox growth can be further enhanced through the application of a slow-release fertilizer in early spring, this helps to promote a rich bloom of flowers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the main maintenance care tasks for Creeping Phlox is deadheading<\/a> spent flowers, which can encourage a second bloom, and also help create a neat appearance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the plant is generally resistant to pests, it may sometimes suffer from spider mites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Phlox
Phlox stolonifera CV. Blue ridge flowers image by Staudeng\u00e4rtnerei Forssman<\/a>; CC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Adding Phlox stolonifera <\/em>to your garden means you will witness a dazzling display of colorful, fragrant flowers come spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dense growth habit of the plant not only suppresses weeds, but also unifies a garden's aesthetics, making it a great choice for covering sparse parts of the garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Quick Phlox stolonifera Growing and Care Guide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Scientific Name<\/span>: Phlox stolonifera<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common Name(s)<\/span>: Creeping Phlox, Moss Phlox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing Zone (USA \/ UK Hardiness)<\/span>: USDA Zones: 5-9; RHS Hardiness H6, hardy to (-20\u00b0C \/ -4\u00b0F).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Used For \/ Garden Location<\/span>: Ground cover, rock gardens, woodland gardens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Life Cycle \/ Plant Type<\/span>: Perennial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant Height<\/span>: 6-12 in (15-30 cm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant Spread<\/span>: 12-18 in (30-45 cm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blooms<\/span>: Spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flower Details<\/span>: Small, fragrant, five-petaled flowers, typically lavender to pink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaf Foliage<\/span>: Green, needle-like foliage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fruit<\/span>: Not notable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing Conditions and Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Best Light Conditions<\/span>: Full sun to partial shade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suitable Soil Types<\/span>: Well-drained, sandy or gravely soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sowing, Planting<\/span>: Plant in spring or fall, space 1-2 ft apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germination Time<\/span>: 2-3 weeks if starting from seed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Propagation<\/span>: Division or stem cuttings in spring or autumn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plant Care<\/span>: Needs regular watering, especially in dry periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing in pots and containers<\/span>: Suitable, but regular watering is crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing as a House plant<\/span>: Not typically grown as a houseplant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Miscellaneous<\/span>: Attracts butterflies, resistant to deer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pests and diseases<\/span>: Susceptible to powdery mildew, spider mites, and root rot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common Cultivars \/ Varieties<\/span>: 'Bruce's White' produces white flowers; 'Home Fires' bears deep pink flowers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family<\/span>: Polemoniaceae, the Phlox family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Native<\/span>: Eastern United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References and Further Reading<\/span>: University of Mississippi, Creeping Phlox<\/a>; New York Plant Atlas<\/a>; RHS Plant Guides<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Common Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Does Phlox stolonifera make a good garden plant?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Creeping Phlox makes an excellent garden plant. It forms a mat of color when in bloom, and serves as an excellent ground cover, especially useful in shadier areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Phlox stolonifera a fragrant plant?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, Phlox stolonifera<\/em> is a very fragrant plant. It emits a sweet aroma from its clusters of tiny, vibrant flowers. These can help to attract butterflies<\/a>, and hummingbirds in areas where these birds are native.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the perfect location to grow Creeping Phlox?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Phlox stolonifera<\/em> thrives in part shade to full shade and prefers rich, well-drained soil. It's an excellent plant for a woodland garden or shady border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Phlox stolonifera invasive in the USA, if so in which states?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No, this plant is a USA native (the woodlands of the Appalachian mountains).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do I remove Creeping Phlox from my garden?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To remove Phlox stolonifera<\/em>, cut the plant back and carefully dig out the root system. Monitor for any regrowth and promptly remove any new sprouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Creeping Phlox is a perennial plant that prefers partial shade and well-drained soil. With its creeping habit and springtime clusters of lavender-pink flowers, it makes an excellent ground cover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this guide on how to grow\u00a0Phlox stolonifera<\/em>. You may also enjoy the following Phlox family growing guides: How to grow Annual Phlox<\/a>, Gilia<\/a>, Cobaea<\/a>, and Polemonium plants<\/a> in the garden.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Phlox stolonifera, commonly known as Creeping Phlox, is a beloved evergreen perennial plant. It is cherished for its mat-forming habit and delightful spring flowers, these blanket the plant. This Perennial Phlox plant typically reachs a height of 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm). Creeping Phlox stretches out horizontally in a mat forming manner, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1963,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,33,11,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-garden-flowers","category-container-plant","category-growing-guides","category-shade-plants"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1520"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1967,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520\/revisions\/1967"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardenershq.com\/inthegarden\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}