Phlox, Garden (Phlox paniculata)

Phlox, Garden Plant Features

Add height, color, and fragrance to your summer borders with garden phlox. This easy-care perennial will reward you with tall wands of pink, red, purple, blue, white, or bi-colored blooms from midsummer through fall. Growing 3 to 6 feet tall, garden phlox is ideal for the back-of-the-border where it will add another layer of color behind more mounding perennials such as daylily and black-eyed Susan. Hummingbirds and butterflies will also feast on the sweet, nectar-rich blooms. Plus, garden phlox makes a terrific cut flower. Deer generally avoid garden phlox. Hardy from zones 3-9.

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Phlox grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. Some varieties can develop powdery mildew during the summer if grown in too much shade or in a spot with poor air flow. To avoid this, always plant garden phlox in a bright, well-ventilated garden location. Once established garden phlox is quite drought tolerant. Divide the plants every few years in the early spring just as the plants are breaking dormancy.

Garden phlox is not intended for human or animal consumption.

Water

Medium water needs
Light

Outside: Sun
Colors

Pink

Purple

Red

White
Special Features

Attracts butterflies

Attracts hummingbirds

Deer/rabbit resistant

Complement your Plant

Black-Eyed Susan

The bright yellow flowers of Black-eyed Susan are a sunny contrast to the pink, red, white, and lavender blooms of Garden Phlox.

Daylily

Plant Garden Phlox behind a bed of Daylily to create a layered show of color.

Coneflower

Coneflowers and Phlox both produce gorgeous flowers in late summer making them a great pairing.

Our favorite varieties

Bright Eyes

Phlox paniculata 'Bright Eyes'

Hummingbirds and butterflies will thank you for including ‘Bright Eyes’ garden phlox in your beds and borders. That’s because this prolific bloomer develops masses of nectar-rich flowers the birds can feed on. ‘Bright Eyes’ has pale pink flowers with rich red centers. It grows 18 to 24 inches tall with sturdy stems that don’t flop over. Zones 3-9

David

Phlox paniculata 'David'

The snow-white blooms of ‘David’ garden phlox are a refreshing break when summer temperatures soar. Growing 2 to 4 feet tall, ‘David’ produces armloads of fragrant flowers that look as great in a vase as they do in the garden. Zones 3-8

Laura

Phlox paniculata 'Laura'

Add fragrance and color to the back of your perennial border with ‘Laura’ garden phlox. This gorgeous variety grows 3 to 4 feet tall and produces eye-popping purple flowers with white centers from midsummer until fall. Zones 3-8

Flame Coral Sunset

Phlox paniculata 'Flame Coral Sunset'

Coral Sunset garden phlox shows off unusual coral-orange flowers in summer. They're wonderfully fragrant and appear on compact, 18-inch-tall plants. Zones 3-8

Flame Lilac

Phlox paniculata 'Flame Lilac'

A short variety of garden phlox that's easy to tuck anywhere in the landscape (we love it along pathways!), Lilac grows 20 inches tall, resists disease, and has fragrant flowers. Zones 3-8

Flame White

Phlox paniculata 'Flame White'

Dwarf and easy to grow, White garden phlox stays under 2 feet tall, making it perfect for landscapes and containers. It has fragrant flowers throughout the summer. Zones 3-8

Red Riding Hood

Phlox paniculata 'Red Riding Hood'

Eye-catching and easy to grow, 'Red Riding Hood' garden phlox grows 2 feet tall and is an excellent plant for attracting hummingbirds; they adore its red flowers! Zones 3-8

Flame Light Pink

Phlox paniculata 'Flame Light Pink'

Perfect for adding a cool touch to the hot summer landscape, Flame Light Pink has soft pink flowers in mid- to late summer on easy-growing, disease-resistant plants. It grows 20 inches tall and 14 inches wide. Zones 3-8

Peacock Cherry Red

Phlox paniculata 'Peacock Cherry Red'

Peacock Cherry Red is a tidy, disease-resistant variety that shows off hot pink flowers in mid- and late summer. It grows 24 inches tall and wide. Zones 3-9

Blue Paradise

Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise'

This unique variety looks like it changes colors throughout the day. Depending on the light, it can appear lavender, violet, blue, or purple. Blue Paradise grows 26 inches tall and 24 inches wide. Zones 4-8

Nicky

Phlox 'Nicky'

A longtime garden favorite, Nicky shows off fragrant magenta-purple flowers from midsummer to early autumn. It grows 48 inches tall and 24 inches wide. Zones 4-9

Starfire

Phlox paniculata 'Starfire'

Loved for its brilliant red-pink flowers, Starfire is also wonderfully fragrant and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. It blooms from midsummer to autumn. Starfire grows 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Zones 4-8

Watermelon Punch

Phlox paniculata 'Watermelon Punch'

Compact and disease resistant, Watermelon Punch bears fragrant clusters of salmon-pink flowers in summer. It grows 18 inches tall and wide. Zones 4-8

Flame Blue

Phlox paniculata Flame Blue

Flame Blue phlox features fragrant lavender-blue flowers throughout the summer on dwarf, disease-resistant plants. It grows 20 inches tall and wide. Zones 3-8

Flame White Eye

Phlox paniculata 'Flame White Eye'

Soft and romantic, Flame White Eye garden phlox shows off big heads of scented, hydrangea-like flowers that are white with bright pink centers. It grows 18 inches tall and 14 inches wide. Zones 3-8