Creeping Phlox

November 08, 2024 Post a Comment

Creeping phlox

Phlox subulata is best grown in well-drained soils in full sun. Though it can do well in areas with dappled light like a sunny area in a woodland garden or in especially hot, humid climates, the best flowering is typically found in full sun. With a little care, creeping phlox will thrive in your landscape.

Will creeping phlox come back every year?

Phlox are easy-to-grow perennials that come back reliably every season. Phlox comes in two forms: Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata) and Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata). Both Garden Phlox and Creeping Phlox produce fragrant blooms that attract a variety of pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds.

What does creeping phlox look like when not in bloom?

And when the plant is not in bloom, creeping phlox still looks good, sporting bright green, needle-like foliage that adds texture to your garden.

What month do you plant creeping phlox?

The best times to plant creeping phlox are in the spring and the fall. You can start creping phlox outside in April as it is a hardy plant. As for the fall, September is a good month. However, if you have very cold winters, you will want to wait until May to plant in the spring and early September for the fall.

Will creeping phlox choke out other plants?

Creeping Phlox This hardy perennial groundcover plant will cover your garden in a pastel-hued carpet of star-shaped flowers in the springtime, and its semi-evergreen foliage will continue to help choke out weeds throughout the remainder of the growing season.

How fast will creeping phlox spread?

Creeping phlox or moss phlox (Phlox subulata) is a low-growing species that works excellently as a ground cover. It spreads slowly, growing in mounds that get 4–6 inches thick. The whole plant turns into a carpet of color in spring, when flowers cover every square inch of foliage.

Does creeping phlox stay green all summer?

These flowers tend to attract butterflies and other pollinators to a garden. And after they're done blooming, the creeping phlox foliage still remains green and attractive for much of the year before dying back in the winter.

What happens to creeping phlox in the winter?

Cutting Back Phlox For Winter Leave the top two or three inches of the stems above the soil line. Creeping phlox is evergreen, but its leaves may dry out during the winter months. There is no need to trim back creeping phlox unless it has outgrown its space in the garden.

Do you have to deadhead creeping phlox?

Deadheading & Pruning The biggest part of caring for phlox as they complete their blooming cycle involves deadheading and pruning. As blooms begin to fade away in late spring, it is important to remove them from the plant.

Can I walk on creeping phlox?

Creeping Phlox Phlox preferes direct sunlight and well-drained soil, and it's durable enough to walk on throughout the year.

Should you mulch around creeping phlox?

Creeping phlox( Phlox stolonifera )is an excellent ground cover. Yes, I recommend using mulch the first season when establishing a groundcover. It will help to suppress the weeds while the ground cover fills in.

How do you keep weeds out of creeping phlox?

The answer is to cut out a strip of sod along the bed edge, making sure to get all the grass roots out from under the phlox mat. Sprinkle some Preen on the bare dirt along the bed edge, to catch weeds as they sprout. Next, mulch heavily (at least three inches thick), working the mulch up under the phlox.

How far will one creeping phlox spread?

Growing only 3-8 inches tall (7-20 centimeters), but spreading as wide as 9 inches up to 2 feet (22-60 centimeters), creeping phlox is an ideal ground cover and companion plant.

Should creeping phlox be cut back in fall?

Phlox may shine from late spring to the end of summer, but when cooler temperatures arrive, they start to fizzle out. We suggest cutting them back in late fall for one main reason: powdery mildew. Phlox is susceptible to powdery mildew, especially when the foliage is wet for prolonged periods.

How long do creeping phlox keep their flowers?

Blooming profusely for 3-4 weeks in mid to late spring, Creeping Phlox boasts bright, fragrant flowers in shades of blue-purple, pink, red or white. Each flower is adorned with five, flat, petal-like, rounded lobes that are distinctively notched. Mat-forming, Phlox subulata grows only 4-6 in.

Do hummingbirds like creeping phlox?

Hummingbirds will appreciate garden phlox as much as you do. This old-fashioned perennial produces clusters of sweetly fragrant pink, red, lavender, or white flowers in summer. The flowers that attract hummingbirds grow upright in clumps and look especially pretty in a mixed border.

What is the best ground cover to keep weeds out?

Mondo Grass is one of the best ground covers that kills weeds because it has a vigorous growth habit and spreads easily. Growing across the United States in USDA hardiness zones 6-10, this dwarf shrub prefers full shade to part shade for best results.

What is the best low maintenance ground cover?

Sedum. Low-growing sedums may not produce the big bang of color like their taller cousins, but it's hard to go wrong with this ultra-low-maintenance, drought-tolerant groundcover for sunny spots. Two of the hardiest creeping varieties are gold moss stonecrop (Sedum acre) and Sedum kamtschaticum (shown here).

Is creeping phlox poisonous to dogs?

(Phlox subulata) It's highly adaptable and able to thrive in challenging sites, like slopes, rocky areas, and borders. It grows to form a lush carpet of foliage and flowers that are non-toxic. It's unbothered by deer and will hopefully be unbothered by your dog, too!