Moss phlox is a low-growing native to central and eastern North America, growing wild on dry, rocky slopes and widely planted in rock gardens. Its stems spread along the ground, with needlelike leaves and pink, lavender, red, or white flowers in spring. Moss phlox is also called creeping phlox.
Appearance
- Growth form
- This perennial creeps into a dense mat about 4–6 in (10–15 cm) tall and 2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m) wide.
- Leaves
- Opposite leaves are narrow, stiff, and sharply pointed, up to about 1 in (2.5 cm) long, giving the mat a mossy or needlelike look.
- Flowers
- Loose clusters of tubular flowers open into five flat, notched lobes. Cultivars flower in pink, lavender, blue-purple, red, or white.
- Flowering time
- In North Carolina, it usually blooms in April and May.
- Fruit
- The inconspicuous fruit is a small that splits into three sections and contains several seeds.
Look-alikes
Garden Phlox grows upright to 2–4 ft (0.6–1.2 m) and carries large flower clusters at the stem tips in summer. Moss phlox stays only 4–6 in (10–15 cm) tall, creeps into mats, and blooms in spring.
Why they get mixed upBoth have colorful, five-lobed tubular flowers and are common garden phloxes.
Chinese Pink forms an upright clump and has larger flowers with deeply fringed petal edges. Moss phlox creeps along the ground and has smaller flowers with a shallow notch at each lobe tip.
Why they get mixed upBoth can have narrow leaves and bright pink, five-parted flowers.
Creeping phlox has broader, oval leaves and grows about 6–12 in (15–30 cm) tall, often in moist partial shade. Moss phlox has stiff, needlelike leaves and makes a 4–6 in (10–15 cm) mat in sunny, drier sites.
Why they get mixed upBoth have spring flowers and the name creeping phlox is used for both.
| Leaves and habit | Typical bloom | |
|---|---|---|
| moss phlox | Needlelike leaves; 4–6 in (10–15 cm) mat | Spring |
| creeping phlox | Broader oval leaves; 6–12 in (15–30 cm) | Spring |
| garden phlox | Upright; 2–4 ft (0.6–1.2 m) | Summer |
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- rocky slopes
- open woodland edges
- rock gardens
- Range
- It is native from central and eastern Canada through much of the central and eastern United States. Wild populations occur in dry, rocky or sandy openings, slopes, ledges, savannas, and open woods.
- Preferred conditions
- It flowers best in full sun and prefers moist but well-drained soil. It also tolerates sandy or gravelly ground and moderate drought once established.
- Flowering
Flowers Apr–May
Flowers Apr–May
Growing it
- Care
- Shearing stems back by about half after bloom helps keep a compact, dense shape.
- Propagation
- Garden plants can be propagated by division, stem cuttings, or root cuttings.
Name and classification
- About the name
- Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) is a separate species that shares this plant's common name.
- Varieties and forms
- Common cultivated selections include 'Alba', 'Fort Hill', 'Red Wing', 'Vivian White Blanket', and 'White Delight'.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
- Status
- North Carolina lists this species as Significantly Rare–Peripheral.
16 sources
- iNaturalist taxon API: Phlox subulata
- GBIF Species Match: Phlox subulata
- Phlox subulata L. | Plants of the World Online
- Phlox subulata | NC State Extension
- シバザクラ | ふなばしアンデルセン公園
- Phlox paniculata | NC State Extension
- Dianthus chinensis | NC State Extension
- 국내 정원용 다년생 초화류의 개화기 분류
- 산청군 2026년 4월 관광캘린더
- 北海道大学 Phlox subulata
- 고랭지배추 재배지 토양보전을 위한 동반작물 지면패랭이
- Growing Phlox in Iowa | Iowa State University Extension
- Moss Phlox | University of Maryland Extension
- North Carolina Natural Heritage Program 2024 rare plant list
- NC State Extension: Phlox stolonifera
- 국가 생물다양성 정보공유체계: 꽃잔디 품종