Flowing flowers
Creeping phlox offers a wide spread of color
CREEPING PHLOX, also known as moss phlox, is known for its vibrant, saturated color when it blooms each spring. Depending on variety, flowers can be pink, blue, white or even striped. Flowering occurs in mid to late spring, with flowers covering the entire plant.
This low-growing perennial groundcover is only 4 to 6 inches tall, but it can spread over 18 inches. It prefers a moist but well drained site, and to get established, it needs to be watered regularly after planting. Avoid planting creeping phlox in wet areas or areas where winter snow is piled up near drives and walks.
Creeping phlox will naturalize and sprawl around other perennials. It is suitable for the front of a border or a rock garden, and it helps control erosion by draping over rock edges and walls. Phlox is deer resistant, and its flowers are attractive to pollinators, including bees and butterflies.
For the best growth and flowering, plant phlox in full sun to part shade. Its foliage is fine or needle-like, mimicking moss, and some varieties, like Emerald Blue, can be reliably evergreen. Creeping phlox blooms just once a year, but it is bright and beautiful, and a good sign that spring is here once again.
