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    Flowers

    Creeping Phlox Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Phlox subulata”

    Read our complete guide to Creeping Phlox for everything you will ever need to know! Tips for planting & caring for "Phlox subulata"
    Ana BenkovicBy Ana BenkovicMarch 1, 2022
    Creeping Phlox
    Creeping Phlox Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Phlox subulata”
    Affiliate Disclosure: We independently test & research all products reviewed on the site. We may earn a small commission if you buy through one of our links. This does not affect our reviews or placement of products on the site.

    Creeping phlox, also known as moss pink and mountain phlox, is a perennial plant that is an absolute must-have for many rock gardens around the world. It belongs to the family Polemoniaceae that has around 65 different species. This flower stands out because it blooms in spring and is semi-evergreen.

    Native to rocky landscapes of North America, creeping phlox requires little maintenance to thrive. It can grow in any soil and will create a colorful flower blanket in your garden. The name phlox comes from a Greek term for a flame, referring to the vividly colored flowers.

    Native Americans have a special connection with this plant, and they even used it for treating various medical conditions in the past. If you often let your dogs or cats play in the garden, they can nibble on the creeping phlox flowers and leaves. The plant is not toxic and won’t harm them in any way.

    About Creeping Phlox

    Contents

    • 1 About Creeping Phlox
    • 2 Creeping Phlox Features: An Overview
    • 3 Growing Creeping Phlox
    • 4 Watering Creeping Phlox
    • 5 Propagating Creeping Phlox
    • 6 Final Thoughts
    • Creeping phlox is low-maintenance and doesn’t require any extra care to grow. The plant prefers direct sunlight. Partial shade is perfectly fine as well, depending on your location and climate.
    • Keeping this plant happy is simple. It can quickly adapt to any terrain and enjoys evenly moist, well-drained soil. Compost and fertilizers are welcome but not obligatory. If you decide to use fertilizer to give your plant a small boost, the best time for it is in late winter or the beginning of spring.
    • The flower should be watered every week, even after the blooming period is over. Creeping phlox has pointy green leaves throughout the summer and fall, but it won’t dominate your landscape too much. The stems that carry the leaves will gradually become wooden.
    • Propagation is very straight forward as well and will require some digging. You can propagate creeping phlox through the division of the root. Just make sure you cut it in half evenly.
    • Even though it is not used to them, creeping phlox can adapt to very high temperatures. When planted in rock gardens, the surrounding terrain could heat the plant even more. Just remember to water it frequently. It is not drought-resistant, but it can survive without water for some time. However, it needs moisture in extreme heat.
    Beautiful colors of Phlox subulata
    Beautiful colors of Phlox subulata

    Creeping Phlox Features: An Overview

    • Creeping phlox is a common sight in rock gardens. But this flower can add a lot of color to your landscape regardless of the location. This plant goes incredibly well with tulips and carnations because they tower over it. Additionally, it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, so your yard will be bustling with life in spring.
    • The flowers can be red, white, blue, pink, purple, or lavender. They have a simple shape, pleasant fragrance, and grow super close to each other. Creeping phlox blooms for three to four weeks, usually starting in the middle of spring.
    • When mature, creeping phlox is between 4 and 6 inches tall, depending on the specie. It can spread for 24 inches, creating a full ground cover of bright and vivid flowers.
    • This plant is native to eastern and central North America, but it can be successfully grown in any climate, as long as the weather is not too extreme. Add a bit of fertilizer, make sure that the ground is slightly acidic, and creeping phlox will thrive in no time.
    • Some gardening enthusiasts do prune their creeping phlox to give it a neater shape, but it is not necessary. You can let this flower grow naturally, and it will still look breathtakingly good. On the other hand, pruning can make the leaves grow denser. If you decide to prune your creeping phlox, do so in summer, after blooming.
    • Creeping phlox is generally more prone to diseases than pests. However, extreme weather conditions such as hot and dry climate can lead to an infestation of spider mites. Humid weather can attract foliar nematodes. If you notice any color changes on the leaves of your creeping phlox, act fast and remove the diseased foliage.
    Creeping phlox provides ideal ground cover
    Creeping phlox provides ideal ground cover

    Growing Creeping Phlox

    Creeping phlox doesn’t require a lot of care in general. Plant it in a sunny area of your garden, and you will enjoy the vividly colored flowers all spring. Partial shade will work as well. This flower doesn’t need a lot of moisture, except in summer. It can go for short periods without water but don’t make it a habit. Fertilizing the soil once a year is recommended, especially right before spring.

    The flower covers the ground and could spread over a wide area. Therefore, you could prune the stems a bit to keep it tidy. Weeds and other plants might start growing in the same area. They could ruin the overall appearance of creeping phlox, especially when it is in bloom. The best way to deal with this is to pull the weeds by hand, making sure you get the root.

    This plant is one of the best choices for landscaping enthusiasts. It creates a gorgeous flowery cover that looks stunning on hills or uneven terrain. However, you can still use it even if your garden is completely flat. The flowers can create a gorgeous border along the pathways in your yard or even fill up the empty spaces in your rock garden.

    Star-shaped flowers
    Star-shaped flowers

    The star-shaped flowers are small and condensed. You will discover thin pointy leaves beneath them that continue to be green even in fall. Creeping phlox produces long stems that are green when new, but turn brown and woody with age. These stems might stop growing flowers as the time goes by, so you should trim them occasionally.

    Pests could be a problem if you live in a very dry or humid place. But creeping phlox is more prone to fungal diseases like powdery mildew and southern blight. Powdery mildew is common among the plants from this specie. A fungal disease could dry out the plant and make the leaves look yellow. So watch out for white spots on the stems, as well as a thin greyish coating.

    Keeping your creeping phlox happy means you need to improve the air circulation. Don’t plant creeping phlox close to each other because overcrowding can damage the flower. It is important to give each plant a lot of space to grow. You should go for 16 to 24 inches between every creeping phlox in your garden. Fertilizing the soil once a year will give you a better bloom and a thicker coverage.

    Watering Creeping Phlox

    You should water creeping phlox weekly. This plant is capable of surviving a short period without water, so don’t be stressed if you forget about it occasionally. Summers could be tricky because the plant needs more moisture. If the temperatures are high, you could even water it more than once a week. Check if the soil is moist with your finger.

    Also, watch out for the changes in the color of the plant. Leaves that are turning yellow indicate your creeping phlox needs your attention. Creeping phlox that is a part of your rock garden might need extra moisture if the weather is hot and dry. The terrain that surrounds the plant could scorch the leaves. These changes in the foliage will be visible right away because the plant will turn dark green or yellow, so you can water it in time.

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    1200+ Mixed Phlox Seeds - Creeping Perennial Ground Cover - Popstars Phlox Creeping Carpet Plants
    1200+ Mixed Phlox Seeds - Creeping Perennial Ground Cover - Popstars Phlox Creeping Carpet Plants
    • Creeping phlox is a perennial mat-forming plant that comes in many beautiful colors. These flowers bloom each spring and come in many different colors, spreading outward, rather than up.
    • This makes creeping phlox an excellent choice for providing not only a splash of color but also ground cover for gardens.
    • Creeping phlox is known to be resistant to deer and does well in drought conditions, making it a relatively low maintenance addition to yards.
    • Another nice feature of creeping phlox is that its flowers attract butterflies.
    • As creeping phlox spreads, it can also be divided up and easily transplanted to different areas where more ground cover is desired.
    $12.79
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    Bestseller No. 2
    Greenwood Nursery / Live Ground Cover Plants (Large Selection Inside) - Pink Creeping Phlox - [Qty: 2X Pint Pots]
    Greenwood Nursery / Live Ground Cover Plants (Large Selection Inside) - Pink Creeping Phlox - [Qty: 2X Pint Pots]
    • INFO1 - Phlox subulata is ideal for rock gardens, topping retaining walls, edging pathways, banks, and slopes - a spectacular evergreen ground cover. Creeping Pink Phlox grows vigorously forming dense spreading, spilling mounds covered in bright pink blossoms. Masses of tiny pink flowers cover the top of this mat forming creeping phlox for a long period making great lawn edging ideas. Creates a flowering carpet of splashed pink color for bank plantings or rock gardens.
    • INFO2 - A vigorous green and attractive as a ground cover when not in bloom. This Garden Phlox is ideal for pots and hanging planters, too. This pink creeping phlox will spill over the edges of retaining walls for a graceful effect. Great to mix with white and red varieties. Phlox grows 4 to 6" high, 12 to 18" wide. Plant phlox in full sun, blooms in Spring. Contact Greenwood Nursery for a good fertilizing plan for your phlox.
    • ➤ Category: Groundcover Plants, Perennials, Creeping Phlox, Evergreen Perennials ➤ Plant Type: Deciduous ➤ Light Requirement: Full Sun, Partial ➤ Soil Condition: Dry, Well Drained ➤ Bloom Season: Spring ➤ Bloom Color: Pink ➤ Mature Height: 0 - 1ft ➤ Growth Rate: Medium-growing ➤ Planting Zone: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
    • PROFESSIONAL PACKAGING/SHIPPING - Greenwood Nursery takes the utmost care to make sure you get your plants healthy, vibrant & alive! BARE ROOT PLANTS = Roots are covered with hydrating gel (hydrates while out of soil), wrapped with moist paper & placed into airtight plastic wrap (traps moisture). POTTED PLANTS = Shrink wrap/tape the Pot so soil doesn't spill out. BOTH the Bare Root & Potted plants are secured in a Box with shipping Peanuts. All orders usually ship the next day, maximum 3 days.
    • GREENWOOD GUARANTEE - Note other Stores selling on GREENWOOD NURSERY pages, sending sub-par plants & using poor shipping practices, hence so many customer complaints of dead plants & other issues. Make sure you are purchasing from our GREENWOOD NURSERY store to avoid any issues, you will know your package is from us with our Logo around the Plant(s) & in/on the Box. Please contact us within 30 Days with any issues & we will correct them!
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    SaleBestseller No. 3
    Outsidepride Blue Phlox Ground Cover, Garden Flowers, Bedding & Container Plants - 1000 Seeds
    Outsidepride Blue Phlox Ground Cover, Garden Flowers, Bedding & Container Plants - 1000 Seeds
    • Blue phlox makes an excellent annual ground cover plant in USDA Zones 3 - 10.
    • This spreading and creeping phlox only reaches 10 inches tall.
    • Grow Phlox in beds, at the front of borders, and intermix them with other flowers in informal plantings and cottage gardens.
    • They are wonderful container plants and maintain well in water when cut. The genus Phlox itself is a fascinating one that grows from relatively high altitudes in the mountains to the low lands in the prairies and the plains.
    • Sow 3 to 4 of these non gmo, heirloom seeds per garden plant you desire.
    $5.99
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    Propagating Creeping Phlox

    Creeping phlox is propagated through division. You can divide this plant every two or three years, and the roots will remain healthy. The best time for this is in spring, right after the blooming period. So the first thing you need to do is dig up the root. Use a smaller spade for this and double-check if you got the whole root up.

    Then cut it in half as evenly as possible. Place each half back into the ground. Carefully add more soil around the new plants. Remember to water them right after division, and maintain the moisture for about a month after propagation. If your creeping phlox starts growing new stems, you have successfully divided the plant.

    Final Thoughts

    Every garden needs a splash of color in spring, and the easiest way to make your landscape stand out is by planting creeping phlox. Taking care of this perennial ground cover is not complicated, so it is clear why it gained so much popularity among gardening enthusiasts.

    Creeping phlox will grow in any soil, but if you want to keep it healthy and as beautiful as possible, make sure the ground is moist and well-draining. Don’t forget to provide the plant with plenty of sunshine. This flower spreads fast and has small star-shaped flowers. They can be red, white, blue, purple, or pink and cover an area of 24 inches in width.

    It is a fabulous little plant that blooms in mid or late spring. Once the summer rolls in, you will get to enjoy its green foliage that looks equally good. Creeping phlox is a perfect plant for landscaping or rock gardens. Plus, it is somewhat resistant to drought and pet-friendly!

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    Ana Benkovic

      Ana is an experienced writer and an urban gardener, making use of limited space on her balcony to grow vegetables every season. She got into gardening thanks to her grandmother, who introduced her to the wonderful world of succulents. Two of them still collect succulents as well as cacti together, and Ana is always on the lookout for rare (and colorful) varieties. She is currently occupied with growing avocado trees indoors.

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      1 Comment

      1. Beth Miller on April 7, 2022 9:59 pm

        Every winter my creeping phlox foliage dies & turns a light tan, dry & prickly. In spring the new growth comes through the dead stickery foliage but the brown shows through in places. I can’t pick through to remove the dead parts & often the long bare stems have new growth on the ends. Help! Is there a way to remove the dead ‘stuff’ from the top of the plant? I’m in zone 4 of Iowa. The beds are healthy but look terrible with all the dead debris on top.

        Reply

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