Phlox

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Phlox

Phlox
Genus:Phlox
Family:Polemoniaceae
Pollination:Insects

Phlox (pronounced "flocks") is a genus of 67 species of annual or perennial flowering plants. Some species flower in early spring while others flower in summer into fall. Most species are native to temperate North America but a few species are also from northeastern Asia. They are found growing in diverse habitats from alpine locations to open woodlands and prairies.

Description

Phlox range in color from pale blue to bright red to white, though cultivars have been bred for purple and deep blue. Some species such as Phlox glaberrima (Smooth Phlox) grow to 1.5 m tall, while others, such as Phlox stolonifera (Creeping Phlox), form low mats only a few centimeters in height. Seeds are in a 3-celled, valved capsule, with one seed to each cell.

The flowers are 5-lobed, with a tube below the lobes. The flower buds open by untwisting.

Growing conditions

Phlox is best grown in fertile, well-drained soil, exposed to partial shade to partial sun.

Species

Moss phlox
Phlox flowers

Uses

Phloxes are grown for their showy, often fragrant flowers in borders and cutting gardens. They attract both butterflies and hummingbirds.

Maintenance

Deadheading and staking are often needed for taller species.

Propagation

Division, cuttings, or seed.

Pests and diseases

Crown Gall

Powdery Mildew

Leaf Spots

Blights

Crown Rots

Wilts

Rusts

Viri

Phytoplasma

Nematodes

Aphids Scales

Hoppers

Bugs

Beetles

Weevils

Caterpillars

Mites

The foliage of Phlox is sometimes eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Dot Moth, Gazoryctra wielgusi, w: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.

References

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