Woodland phlox
Phlox divaricata L.
Also called woodland phlox, wild blue phlox.
Low woodland phlox with loose clusters of fragrant lavender-blue flowers in mid-spring, blooming before the tree canopy closes. Creeping stems knit into an informal carpet under deciduous trees.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 0.3–0.4 m (10–16 in) tall and 0.3–0.5 m (12–18 in) wide; medium growth, about 3 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.25) from the #1 install size.
Bloom
Lavender-blue flowers, Apr–May (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland phlox : Apr–May |
Design notes
- Pair with ferns, sedges or wild ginger to cover the gap after it goes semi-dormant in summer heat.
- Deer and rabbits browse it; protect young plants near woods edges.
- Shear lightly after bloom to tidy; powdery mildew is less of a problem in shade with good air movement.
Regions
Native range: Eastern North America, from Quebec south to northern Florida and west to Texas.
Native to these OpenLandscape3D pilot regions:
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
In the guides
Woodland phlox comes up in these guides:
Related plants
Try Woodland phlox in a plan
Opens your own copy of a finished sample garden in the planner with Woodland phlox ready to place; the planner checks it against that garden’s zone, light and moisture.
Plan with Woodland phlox
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.