A Pink Phlox Plant In The Landscape
Phlox as a genus is a genus of 68 species of perennial and annual plants in the family Polemoniaceae. They are found mostly in North America (one in Siberia) in diverse habitats from alpine tundra to open woodland and prairie.
Phlox plants can be perennial, annual, or biennial. The perennial varieties, which are the most common in gardens, form clumps that spread over time. They can range in height from low-growing, creeping types suitable for ground cover to upright varieties that can grow up to 4 feet tall. The leaves are lance-shaped to ovate, and they’re arranged in opposite pairs along the stem. The texture can vary from smooth to somewhat hairy.
Phlox flowers are known for their star-shaped, five-petaled blooms which cluster in dense, rounded heads or loose panicles. Colors include a wide spectrum: white, pink, red, purple, blue, and sometimes with a contrasting eye or center. They bloom profusely, with some varieties offering scents that range from sweet to spicy.
Depending on the species, Phlox can bloom from spring through late summer. Perennial garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) typically blooms in mid to late summer. Many Phlox varieties are highly fragrant, attracting pollinators like butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.
Perennial Phlox species are hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9, making them quite versatile for different climates. Prefers full sun but can tolerate some light shade, especially in warmer climates. Susceptible to powdery mildew, especially in humid conditions.
A Pink Variety of Phlox Plant
Different Types of Phlox Flowers
Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
The quintessential summer phlox, this tall, stately species is a cornerstone of the traditional herbaceous border. It produces large, domed clusters of fragrant flowers in shades ranging from white and pale pink to deep magenta and rich purple, blooming from midsummer well into autumn. Hundreds of named cultivars have been developed from this species, making it one of the most extensively bred garden perennials in the temperate world.
2. Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
One of the most spectacular spring-flowering ground covers in cultivation, this low, mat-forming phlox smothers itself so completely in bloom that the foliage becomes entirely invisible beneath a carpet of flowers. The needle-like, evergreen leaves form a dense, spreading cushion, and the flowers appear in vivid shades of pink, lilac, white, and bicolour combinations. It is superbly effective cascading over walls, banks, and rocky slopes.
3. Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
A graceful, semi-evergreen native of North American woodlands, producing loose, airy clusters of softly fragrant, pale blue to lavender flowers on upright stems in mid-spring. It spreads gently by creeping stolons to form a handsome, open ground cover beneath deciduous trees and shrubs. The cultivar ‘Chattahoochee’ is particularly celebrated for its rich lavender-blue flowers with a distinctive magenta eye.
4. Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Blue’)
A superb cultivar of the creeping phlox group, producing an exceptionally dense, tight cushion of bright, moss-like evergreen foliage that transforms in spring into a solid sheet of clear, soft lavender-blue flowers. The compact, uniform growth habit makes it ideal for edging, rock gardens, and the tops of dry stone walls, where it cascades with particular elegance during its spectacular brief flowering season.
5. Prairie Phlox (Phlox pilosa)
A slender, upright native species of the North American prairies and open woodlands, producing clusters of fragrant pink to pale purple flowers in late spring and early summer. The narrow, hairy leaves give the plant a soft, slightly bristly texture, and the whole plant has a wild, naturalistic charm well suited to prairie-style plantings and wildflower meadows. It is an important nectar source for native butterflies and bees.
6. Sand Phlox (Phlox bifida)
A delicate, low-growing species from the sandy barrens and rocky outcrops of the central United States, producing dainty flowers with distinctively notched, split petals that give each bloom a starry, fringed appearance unlike most other phlox species. The flowers range from pale lavender to white and appear in spring above dense, needle-leaved cushions. It thrives in sharply drained, dry soils where many other phlox would struggle.
7. Drummond’s Phlox (Phlox drummondii)
The only widely cultivated annual phlox, this Texas native is grown around the world as a bedding and container plant for its prolific and colourful summer flowering. The compact plants produce dense heads of flowers in an exceptionally wide colour range including scarlet, salmon, pink, white, yellow, and bicolour forms. Modern breeding has produced both dwarf and tall strains, with flowers that may be round, star-shaped, or fringed.
8. Smooth Phlox (Phlox glaberrima)
A native of moist meadows and stream margins in the eastern and central United States, this elegant species produces clusters of bright rose-pink to magenta flowers on smooth, upright stems in early summer. Unlike many phlox species, its foliage is notably free of the powdery mildew that plagues some of its relatives, making it a healthy and low-maintenance choice for naturalistic and wildlife-friendly garden plantings.
9. Mountain Phlox (Phlox ovata)
A robust, clump-forming native of the southern Appalachian Mountains, producing vivid rose-pink to magenta flowers in late spring and early summer on leafy, upright stems. It inhabits open woodland margins and rocky hillsides in its native range and is more tolerant of shade than many phlox species, making it a useful plant for the partially shaded border or the edge of a woodland garden.
10. Long-Leaved Phlox (Phlox longifolia)
A slender, wiry western American species native to sagebrush plains and dry mountain foothills, producing clusters of fragrant, pale pink to white flowers on tall, sparse stems above narrow, strap-like leaves. It is among the most drought-tolerant of all phlox species and performs well in xeriscape and dry garden plantings where water conservation is a priority. The blooms are delicately scented and attractive to native bees.
11. David Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘David’)
An outstanding cultivar of garden phlox and winner of the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit, ‘David’ is celebrated above all for its exceptional resistance to powdery mildew — a disease that plagues many tall phlox varieties. It produces large, fragrant heads of pure white flowers on strong, upright stems throughout summer and into early autumn, and is considered the benchmark white phlox for garden performance.
12. Blue Paradise Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Blue Paradise’)
A richly coloured cultivar producing large, dense flower heads in a deep, violet-blue that is among the closest any phlox comes to a true blue. The colour is remarkably intense in the cool of the morning and evening, subtly shifting in warm afternoon light. It is one of the most sought-after tall phlox cultivars for the classic herbaceous border and pairs superbly with silver-foliaged companions and warm-toned roses.
13. Franz Schubert Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Franz Schubert’)
A classic tall phlox cultivar producing elegantly large, rounded flower heads in a soft, cool lilac-pink with a slightly darker central eye. The refined, pastel colouring is reminiscent of the gentle harmonies of its musical namesake and blends beautifully with almost any colour scheme in the summer border. It is a vigorous, long-lived variety with good resistance to mildew and excellent stem strength.
14. Nicky Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Nicky’)
A bold and dramatic tall phlox cultivar producing large, densely packed flower heads in an exceptionally rich, deep magenta-purple — one of the darkest and most intense colours available in the species. The vivid, saturated colouring makes it a powerful accent plant in the summer border, and despite its striking appearance it blends surprisingly well into mixed plantings alongside both cool and warm tones.
15. Eva Cullum Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Eva Cullum’)
A reliably vigorous cultivar producing clear, bright pink flower heads with a contrasting darker pink to red central eye that adds depth and definition to each individual bloom. The crisp, bicolour effect is maintained throughout the long flowering season, which extends from midsummer well into autumn. It is a robust, healthy grower with notably good mildew resistance and is a perennial favourite in traditional herbaceous plantings.
16. Starfire Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Starfire’)
A striking cultivar distinguished by the combination of its vivid cherry-red flowers — one of the reddest available in tall phlox — and its rich, reddish-bronze tinted foliage, which provides additional seasonal interest even before flowering begins. The bold, warm colouring creates a dramatic effect in the summer border and the plant pairs particularly well with deep purple companions such as salvia and agastache.
17. Laura Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Laura’)
An award-winning tall phlox cultivar producing large, showy flower heads of a rich, vivid purple with a clean white star-shaped centre — a bold bicolour combination that gives the blooms an almost tropical flamboyance. The crisp contrast between the deep purple petals and the pure white eye is exceptionally well defined and maintained throughout the flowering period, making it one of the most visually arresting tall phlox cultivars available.
18. Uspekh Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Uspekh’)
A Russian-bred cultivar, the name meaning ‘success’ in Russian, producing large, elegant flower heads in a soft, warm salmon-pink with a subtle deeper centre. The generous, well-rounded flower clusters are carried on strong, upright stems and the blooms have a delicate, sweet fragrance. It represents the long tradition of phlox breeding in Eastern Europe, where the plant has been cultivated and hybridised with particular enthusiasm.
19. Sherbet Cocktail Phlox (Phlox drummondii ‘Sherbet Cocktail’)
A vibrant cultivar of the annual Drummond’s phlox, producing an exuberant mix of flowers in a pastel palette of soft peach, lemon, cream, coral, and rose — a combination reminiscent of its confectionery-inspired name. The compact, bushy plants bloom prolifically from late spring until autumn frost and are ideal for containers, summer bedding, and cutting, bringing a cheerful, informal freshness to warm-season plantings.
20. Candy Stripe Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Candy Stripe’)
A charming and distinctive creeping phlox cultivar producing masses of white flowers striped and edged with clear pink in spring, creating a delightful candy-coloured effect across the mat of evergreen foliage. The bicolour blooms are unusual within the subulata group and provide an eye-catching variation on the typical solid-coloured carpet phlox. It is particularly effective tumbling over the edges of walls and raised beds.
21. Crimson Beauty Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Crimson Beauty’)
A richly coloured cultivar of moss phlox producing a dense, spreading carpet of needle-like evergreen foliage that becomes completely engulfed in vivid, deep rose-crimson flowers in early to mid-spring. The intense colour is among the deepest and most saturated available in the creeping phlox group and creates a stunning spectacle on banks, rockeries, and in front of spring-flowering shrubs.
22. Snowflake Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Snowflake’)
A clean and elegant cultivar of creeping phlox producing a carpeting mat of dense, prickly evergreen foliage smothered in late spring by pure, brilliant white flowers that create a snow-like effect. The pristine whiteness of the blooms is exceptionally well-defined and makes a beautiful contrast with dark stone walls or deep-coloured companions. It is a popular choice for adding lightness and freshness to spring rock garden compositions.
23. Purple Beauty Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Purple Beauty’)
A vivid and freely flowering creeping phlox cultivar producing dense, spreading cushions of fine, evergreen foliage covered in spring with rich, deep purple to violet flowers with a slightly darker central eye. The intensity of the purple colouring is exceptional and creates a powerful, carpet-like display on sunny banks, walls, and in rock gardens where its spreading habit can be given free rein.
24. Amazing Grace Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Amazing Grace’)
A refined and popular cultivar of moss phlox producing pure white flowers with a delicate, soft pink central eye on a dense, spreading mat of fine, needle-like evergreen foliage. The subtlety of the pink centre against the white petals gives the blooms a gentle elegance that makes this variety one of the most charming of all the pale-flowered creeping phlox cultivars. It is particularly effective in white-themed spring garden compositions.
25. Chattahoochee Phlox (Phlox divaricata ‘Chattahoochee’)
One of the most celebrated cultivars of woodland phlox, producing an abundance of lavender-blue flowers with a striking, deep purple-red central eye that creates a vivid focal point in each bloom. Named after the Chattahoochee River in the southeastern United States, it spreads gently to form a semi-evergreen ground cover in partially shaded positions and is considered one of the finest spring-flowering perennials for woodland garden use.
26. Clouds of Perfume Phlox (Phlox divaricata ‘Clouds of Perfume’)
A superb cultivar of woodland phlox prized equally for its visual beauty and its exceptional fragrance — the soft, lavender-blue flowers carry a rich, sweet perfume that fills the spring garden on warm days. The blooms are produced in generous, airy clusters on semi-evergreen, spreading stems and the scent is considered one of the finest of any phlox cultivar, making this variety particularly popular for planting near seating areas and pathways.
27. Fuller’s White Phlox (Phlox divaricata ‘Fuller’s White’)
A clean, pure white cultivar of the woodland phlox producing airy clusters of pristine, fragrant flowers that glow with particular brilliance in the dappled shade of a woodland garden. The white blooms are slightly larger than those of the species and the plant spreads steadily to form an attractive ground cover beneath deciduous trees and shrubs. It pairs beautifully with blue-flowered spring bulbs such as chionodoxa and scilla.
28. Flame Series Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Flame Pink’)
A modern, compact hybrid series bred specifically for smaller gardens, containers, and patio planting, producing the same large, fragrant flower heads as the traditional tall phlox but on much shorter, sturdier stems that require no staking. The Flame Pink selection offers rich, warm rose-pink blooms with a slightly darker eye, and the series also includes white, coral, lilac, and purple members, all with good mildew resistance.
29. Volcano Series Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Volcano Purple with White Eye’)
A vigorous, compact series developed for outstanding garden performance, mildew resistance, and an exceptionally long flowering season from early summer through to mid-autumn. The Purple with White Eye selection produces large, bold heads of deep violet-purple flowers with a clear white centre, creating a dramatic bicolour effect. The Volcano series also includes salmon, pink, red, and white selections of consistently high quality.
30. Sweet William Phlox (Phlox divaricata ‘Sweet William’)
A fragrant, spreading cultivar of woodland phlox producing clusters of rich lavender to violet-purple flowers with a sweet, carnation-like scent that is unusually intense for a phlox of this type. The fragrance is particularly pronounced in the evening, making it an excellent plant for planting near windows, garden benches, or along evening walkways. It forms a semi-evergreen, ground-hugging mat that spreads gradually in moist, shaded conditions.
31. Alpha Phlox (Phlox maculata ‘Alpha’)
A cultivar of the meadow phlox, producing tall, cylindrical — rather than the typical domed — flower heads of warm, rose-pink in midsummer. The slightly elongated flower cluster form gives it a more elegant, graceful appearance than the typical broad-headed garden phlox, and it has the additional virtue of being significantly more resistant to powdery mildew. It is an ideal tall phlox for naturalistic and prairie-style plantings.
32. Omega Phlox (Phlox maculata ‘Omega’)
The white companion to ‘Alpha’ in the spotted phlox cultivar range, producing tall, cylindrical clusters of pure white flowers with a delicate lilac eye on strong, upright stems in midsummer. Like ‘Alpha’, it offers excellent mildew resistance — a quality inherited from the maculata species — making it a far healthier and more carefree option than many traditional white garden phlox varieties. The flowers are pleasantly fragrant.
33. Delta Phlox (Phlox maculata ‘Delta’)
A refined cultivar of the naturally mildew-resistant spotted phlox species, producing elegant, elongated clusters of white flowers adorned with a soft, pale pink eye. The cool, restrained colouring is sophisticated and blends seamlessly into pastel border schemes, and the naturally upright, well-branched habit means the plant requires minimal staking. Like all maculata cultivars, it is notable for its freedom from the powdery mildew problems that afflict P. paniculata.
34. Minnie Pearl Phlox (Phlox ‘Minnie Pearl’)
A compact, cushion-forming hybrid producing masses of clear, soft pink flowers in spring above a dense mat of small, bright green foliage. It bridges the character of creeping and border phlox, forming a tidy, low mound rather than a spreading carpet, and repeats its flowering to a useful degree in summer. The cheerful, abundant blooms and neat growth habit make it a versatile and popular plant for edging, rock gardens, and containers.
35. Shortwood Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Shortwood’)
A tall, vigorous garden phlox cultivar producing large, well-rounded heads of soft, clear pink flowers with a slightly deeper pink eye throughout midsummer. It is notable for its exceptional vigour and longevity, forming large, robust clumps that multiply freely over the years without losing the quality of their flowering. The combination of reliable health, good stem strength, and beautiful colouring has made it a favourite in American cottage and perennial garden design.
36. Baroness von Lassberg Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Baroness von Lassberg’)
An old German cultivar with a distinguished heritage, producing large, elegant flower heads of the purest white with no trace of eye or tint. The pristine, clean whiteness of the blooms is exceptional and the plant has unusually strong, upright stems that rarely require staking even in exposed positions. It represents the long European tradition of phlox breeding and remains valued by gardeners who appreciate classic, unembellished white flowers.
37. Intensia Series Phlox (Phlox ‘Intensia Neon Pink’)
A modern, vegetatively propagated series of annual and tender perennial phlox developed for exceptional heat tolerance and season-long performance in containers and summer bedding. Unlike seed-grown annual phlox, the Intensia plants are propagated by cuttings to maintain consistent colour and habit. The Neon Pink selection produces vivid, electric pink blooms in continuous succession from late spring until the first autumn frosts without deadheading.
38. Emerald Pink Phlox (Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Pink’)
A popular creeping phlox cultivar producing a dense, emerald-green cushion of fine, needle-like evergreen foliage that becomes covered in spring with masses of warm, clear pink flowers. The bright, fresh combination of the vivid green foliage and the pink blooms is particularly cheerful and the plant forms an excellent, weed-suppressing ground cover on sunny, well-drained slopes, banks, and in rock garden settings.
39. Millstream Jupiter Phlox (Phlox ‘Millstream Jupiter’)
A beautiful hybrid cultivar bred by the celebrated American rock gardener Lincoln Foster, producing large, intense lavender-blue flowers with a prominent white eye above a compact, spreading mat of small, dark green leaves. The flower size is unusually generous relative to the low-growing habit of the plant, and the clean, high-contrast colouring is maintained with exceptional fidelity throughout the spring flowering season.
40. Robert Poore Phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Robert Poore’)
A robust and heat-tolerant cultivar producing large, vivid magenta-purple flower heads on exceptionally strong stems throughout midsummer. It is widely regarded as one of the best tall phlox for hot, humid climates where powdery mildew is a persistent problem, as it shows good resistance to the disease even under challenging summer conditions. Named after a South Carolina gardener who selected it from his own garden, it has become a staple of American Southern cottage garden planting.