6 Great Native Phlox Choices for Your Garden

The Phlox family has some interesting and distinct choices for today’s gardener. If you are trying to incorporate Phlox plants into your native garden, then these six choices will get you started. Planting instructions, coloring, and general guidelines are included.

Phlox carolina L. (Thickleaf Phlox)

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 L. – phlox

Species Phlox carolina L. – thickleaf phlox

This fragrant perennial gets up to 4 feet high and has a 2 foot spread. It likes to be planted in full sun. Blooms are typically in the pink/lavender/white range and have a long bloom season; June to August. You should dead head to keep it blooming.

Phlox divaricata L. ssp. laphamii (Wood) Wherry (Lampham’s Phlox)

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 L. – phlox

Species Phlox divaricata L. – wild blue phlox

Variety Phlox divaricata L. ssp. laphamii (Wood) Wherry- Lampham’s Phlox

This flower gets up to 12-18 inches high and needs a spread zone of 12-15 inches. It prefers sun to partial shade and has average water needs. Its fragrant blue, violet, or lavender flowers com in mid spring to early summer. It propagate this plant you can divide the rhizomes or through herbaceous stem cuttings.

Phlox maculata L. (Wild Sweetwilliam)

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 L. – phlox

Species Phlox maculata L. – wild sweetwilliam

This fragrant perennial grows up to 3 feet tall on erect stems and has a spread of one foot. It prefers sun or partial shade in average moist soil. This variation has pink/purple/white flowers in late spring to mid summer. It is very good for borders or for naturalizing. It has good herbaceous foliage. It is somewhat more resistant to powdery mildew than other phlox. A hard cutback will encourage regrowth.

Phlox paniculata L. (Fall Phlox)

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 L. – phlox

Species Phlox paniculata L. – fall phlox

A Phlox that will get up to 4 feet tall and have a 3 foot spread. It prefers full sun, moist soil, and good drainage. It will bloom from mid summer to fall; pinkish purple hues. It is fragrant and will attract butterflies and birds. Divide every 4 years for optimum growth. Expect a longer than average bloom time compared to other Phlox. To propagate you can divide the rootball.

Phlox stolonifera Sims (Creeping Phlox)

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 L. – phlox

Species Phlox stolonifera Sims – creeping phlox

This perennial only gets to 6 inches tall with an 18 inch spread. This can be a great ground cover by not pulling up the fine hair like roots. Its blooms range from violet to lavender in mid spring. It’s an evergreen and drought tolerant. You may propagate it by stem cuttings.

Polemonium reptans L. (Greek Valerian, Jacob’s Ladder)

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 Polemonium L. – Jacob’s-ladder

Species Polemonium reptans L. – Greek valerian

This plant spreads through creeping stems and gets up to 2 feet tall with an 18 inch spread. The blooms are funnel-shaped lavender or blue flowers with a season of April to June. It prefers full sun or partial shade and regular watering. Plant these with good drainage.