Phlox

Phlox ("flame"; plural "phlox" or "phloxes", ) is a genus of 68 species of perennial and annual plants in the family Polemoniaceae. They are found mostly in North America (one in Siberia) in diverse habitats from alpine tundra to open woodland and prairie. Some flower in spring, others in summer and fall. Flowers may be pale blue, violet, pink, bright red, or white. Many are fragrant.
Description
The name is derived from the Ancient Greek word meaning flame in reference to the intense flower colors of some varieties. Fertilized flowers typically produce one relatively large seed. The fruit is a longitudinally dehiscent capsule with three or more valves that sometimes separate explosively.
Some species such as P. paniculata (garden phlox) grow upright, while others such as P. subulata (moss phlox, moss pink, mountain phlox) grow short and matlike. Paniculata or tall phlox, is a native American wildflower that is native from New York to Iowa south to Georgia, Mississippi and Arkansas. It blooms from July to September.
Creeping phlox spreads rapidly and makes great ground cover. It can be planted to cover banks, fill spaces under tall trees, and spill and trail over slopes. Creeping phlox blooms in spring and produces long, spreading stems, which become woody with age. It was introduced into cultivation by the late 1700s.
The foliage of Phlox is a food for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including dot moth, Gazoryctra wielgusi, hummingbird hawk-moth and Schinia indiana (which feeds exclusively on P. pilosa). Phlox species are also a popular food source for groundhogs, rabbits and deer.
Species
The species in the genus include:
Phlox aculeata
Phlox adsurgens
Phlox albomarginata
Phlox alyssifolia
Phlox amabilis
Phlox amoena
Phlox amplifolia
Phlox andicola
Phlox austromontana
Phlox bifida
Phlox buckleyi
Phlox caespitosa
Phlox carolina
Phlox caryophylla
Phlox cluteana
Phlox colubrina
Phlox condensata
Phlox cuspidata
Phlox diffusa
Phlox dispersa
Phlox divaricata
Phlox dolichantha
Phlox douglasii
Phlox drummondii
Phlox floridana
Phlox glaberrima
Phlox glabriflora
Phlox gladiformis
Phlox × glutinosa
Phlox griseola
Phlox hendersonii
Phlox hirsuta
Phlox hoodii
Phlox idahonis
Phlox kelseyi
Phlox longifolia
Phlox maculata
Phlox mesoleuca
Phlox mexicana
Phlox missoulensis
Phlox mollis
Phlox multiflora
Phlox nana
Phlox nivalis
Phlox oklahomensis
Phlox opalensis
Phlox ovata
Phlox paniculata
Phlox pattersonii
Phlox peckii
Phlox pilosa
Phlox pulchra
Phlox pulvinata
Phlox pungens
Phlox × pyramidalis
Phlox richardsonii
Phlox rigida
Phlox roemeriana
Phlox sibirica
Phlox solivaga
Phlox speciosa
Phlox stolonifera
Phlox subulata
Phlox tenuifolia
Phlox triovulata
Phlox variabilis
Phlox vermejoensis
Phlox viridis
Phlox viscida
Phlox woodhousei
Cultivation
Several species and cultivars of phlox are commonly grown in gardens. Most cultivated phlox, with the notable exception of Phlox drummondii, are perennial. Species from alpine habitats (and cultivars derived from them) require full sun and good drainage. Those from woodland habitats (such as Phlox divaricata) require partial shade and soil rich in humus. Those from waterside habitats (such as P. paniculata) require full sun and moisture at the roots. Phlox are valued in the garden for their ability to attract butterflies. Phlox can be propagated from stem cuttings.
References
Further reading
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas, Austin
Natural Resources Conservation Service USDA
External links
Garden plants
Polemoniaceae genera