Creeping Phlox

Creeping Phlox 

Creeping Phlox, Phlox Subulata, as plants go, is the Swiss Army Knife of plants. The great benefit of the Creeping Phlox is that they grow in practically any soil, and under any condition, whether sunny or partially shady. For best results, most people plant Phlox in a sunny location but where the soils are moist. Since creeping Phlox does well over a rockery or in harsh soil and, also, requires little care except for occasional watering, they make an ideal plant to brighten your yard. A perennial plant, Creeping Phlox, has needle-like foliage with small, five-pointed flowers that show up in red, lavender, pink, white, or bluish-purple colors.

 Creeping Phlox blooms in the spring and about the only work you need do is to cut back the foliage when it gets thick, as in that case, they won't bloom. However, if you cut the leaf back, the plant will start blooming again. For landscaping purposes, Creeping Phlox are percent as they do well not only on climbing terraces but also on brick walls. A particular advantage of the plant is its easy propagation. In the spring, you can dig up the entire root ball of a plant, cut the root ball with a knife and replant the original plant back into its hole and plant the second half into a different hole. Every two years or so, you can divide your Creeping Phlox like this without any plant degradation. 

 Not only are Creeping Phlox colorful, but they are excellent at resisting soil erosion.

Most homeowners feed their Creeping Phlox with a slow-release fertilizer in late winter or early spring to promote growth. One additional tip is that when initially planting Creeping Phlox, you need to lift the leaf-like foliage and weed underneath until the plant is fully established. If you are unfamiliar with Creeping Phlox, there are several good videos available on YouTube on the subject. Creeping Phlox only blooms for about six weeks in the spring, and then turn green. Then last summer, they will tend to brown. Due to their bloom cycle is so short, they are not the type of plant you want to plant in flowerpots. 

 Another factor to consider is that Creeping Phlox are terrific spreaders.

This is great for landscaping purposes, but you need to consider scaling back your lawnmower and weed-eating activity slightly. The spread for Creeping Phlox can be as wide as 2-feet. Creeping Phlox are quite tolerant with little water, so watering once per week is fine, although you may want to water more if they are subject to direct sunlight for long hours at a time during the day.

Creeping Phlox for sale online at Perennial Nursery.

Creeping phlox ship bare root only.

FAQ

1. Does Creeping Phlox come back every year?

A. Yes, Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) is a perennial plant, which means it comes back year after year. It is known for its low-growing, spreading habit and its ability to produce a carpet of colorful flowers in the spring.

2. Will creeping phlox choke out weeds?

A. Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a ground cover plant known for its mat-forming growth habit and colorful spring flowers. While it can help suppress weed growth to some extent, it may not completely choke out all weeds on its own.