Moss Phlox Phlox subulata
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Phlox brittonii
- Phlox setacea
- Phonetic Spelling
- FLOCKS sub-yoo-LAH-tah
- Description
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Moss phlox is a spring-blooming herbaceous perennial that has a dense, spreading, mat-like forming habit. It grows up to 6 inches tall and up to 2 to 3 feet wide. The leaves are green, linear to awl-shaped, and needle-like. The blooms appear in loose clusters of tubular 3/4 inch flowers in shades of pink, lavender, reddish-purple, and occasionally white. It is noted for its creeping habit and the profuse carpet of flowers that bloom early to mid-spring and then sparsely until frost. The foliage mats are cushion-like, resembling moss, hence the common name of moss phlox.
It is native to the central and eastern portions of Canada and the United States. Moss phlox is found in dry rocky, or sandy areas, savannas, rocky ledges, slopes, clearings, and open woodlands. It is native mainly to the Appalachian Mountains.
The genus name, Phlox, is from the Greek word phlox and means "flame." This refers to the vibrant flower color of some of the varieties. The specific epithet, subulata, translates as "awl-shaped" which references the leaves.
Moss phlox prefers moist, well-drained, humus soils, and full sun. It flowers best in full sun but in hot humid summers, the plant appreciates some dappled sun. They like sandy and gravely soil and can tolerate hot and dry conditions better than other species of phlox. It is good practice to cut back the stems by 1/2 when flowering is completed to help maintain their shape and encourage dense growth. It is tolerant of deer, erosion, drought, and air pollution.
The stems of moss phlox are green when young, becoming tan and woody with age. Older plantings thin out as new growth spreads away from the center of the plant. It has many cultivars with vibrant pink, red, lavender, blue-purple, or white flowers that cover the plant from late April to early May.
Garden uses include rock gardens, edgings, foundation plantings, or ground covers in sunny areas of woodland gardens, slopes, native plant gardens, or naturalized areas. It may also be used to drape slightly over a low rock wall.
Seasons of Interest:
Blooms: Spring Foliage: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Quick ID Hints:
- creeping, dense, mat-like herbaceous perennial, up to 6 inches tall and 2 to 3 feet wide
- opposite, linear to awl-shaped, needle-like green foliage up to 1-inch long
- loose clusters of tubular flowers, 3/4-inch wide, five flat notched petals of lavender, pink, white, or red
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Moss phlox is relatively pest and disease-free and has moderate drought tolerance. It is resistant to powdery mildew, unlike most other species of phlox. Spider mites can be a problem in hot, dry conditions, and nematodes can cause damage to the leaves in wet and humid conditions. Rabbits may feed on the foliage, but it is less palatable to deer. Some cultivars have shown good resistance to phytophthora and southern blight. See Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot in the Landscape.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Entryway Garden, Cabarrus County Extension Office Paths & Walkways Rock & Water Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Alba'
- 'Fort Hill'
Shows good resistance to phytophthora. - 'Red Wing'
- 'Vivian White Blanket'
- 'White Delight'
Shows good resistance to southern blight.
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Fort Hill', 'Red Wing', 'Vivian White Blanket', 'White Delight'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alba'
- 'Fort Hill'
Shows good resistance to phytophthora. - 'Red Wing'
- 'Vivian White Blanket'
- 'White Delight'
Shows good resistance to southern blight.
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Fort Hill', 'Red Wing', 'Vivian White Blanket', 'White Delight'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Phlox
- Species:
- subulata
- Family:
- Polemoniaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Root Cutting
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Eastern Canada and Central and Eastern United States
- Distribution:
- Native: United States--AR, CT, DE, GA, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, TN, UT, VT, VA, WV, and WI; Canada--Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. Introduced: Austria, Czechoslovakia, Uzbekistan, and United States--AL and IL.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, skippers, and bees. Rabbits eat the foliage.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Defines Paths
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Some cultivars have shown good resistance to phytophthora southern blight.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Dense
- Horizontal
- Prostrate
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The flowers are replaced by an inconspicuous oval seed capsule. The seed capsule is 3-valved, 4 mm long, and contains 3 or more seeds. It spreads by reseeding.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Moss phlox has loose, terminal, flattened clusters or cymes of 2 to 8, fragrant, tubular flowers that are up to 3/4 inches wide and bloom in April-May. The flowers are red-purple to bluish-purple, pink, or infrequently white. Each flower has five, flat, petal-like, rounded, notched lobes. The calyx is 5-lobed, and green, and the lobes are awl-shaped, tapering to a point The corolla is slender, tubular with the 5 lobes spreading at right angles to the tube and less than an inch in size. Inside the tube are five stamens and a pistil with a 3-parted style. The sepals and flower stalks are hairy, green, or purplish.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Prickly
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are opposite, 1/4 to 3/4-inch long, 1-2 mm wide, linear to awl-shaped, and have a sharply pointed tip. The leaves are semi-evergreen, small, simple, acute, entire, semi-rigid, green, and awl-shaped. They are stalkless and densely arranged. White hairs are fringed along the edges.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The stems are light green to reddish-purple, woody, hairy, branched, pubescent, sprawling, and prostrate. They root at the nodes and form dense mats. Older growth is knotty, semi-woody, and loses most of its foliage.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Rock Wall
- Slope/Bank
- Small Space
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Erosion
- Fire
- Pollution
- Poor Soil
- Salt