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Phlox stolonifera
Also called Cherokee Phlox
Creeping phlox is a low, spreading perennial native to the eastern United States, grown mainly as a groundcover for its mat of foliage and spring flowers. It is best given woodland-type conditions with moist, well-drained soil.
Phlox stolonifera (creeping phlox or moss phlox) is a species of flowering plant in the family Polemoniaceae. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that is native to the eastern United States. It occurs in woodlands and stream banks in the vicinity of the Appalachian Mountains from Pennsylvania south to northern Georgia. Naturalized populations occur as far north as Québec, Canada.
Its flowers are pale purple, pink, or white, 2–2.5 cm (0.79–0.98 in) in diameter, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens, which are borne on stems that are 15–25 cm (6–10 in) tall. They lack the central band of color that is present in the flowers of the related Phlox subulata.
Creeping Phlox is widely used as a groundcover. Its trailing growth habit and dense mat-like foliage help suppress weed growth and prevent soil erosion on slopes or in areas where grass may not thrive.
Thickleaf phlox · Wild blue phlox · Annual phlox · Fall phlox · Moss phlox · Phloxes
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Phlox stolonifera by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
