Summary
Phlox were some of the earliest plants discovered by European naturalists in America, and today there are a multitude of species available to gardeners for almost any type of garden environment. This trial focuses on species and cultivars that prefer full sun to partial shade and includes species such as: Phlox paniculata, P. maculata, P. carolina, P. glaberimma, P. pilosa, P. pulchra, P. ovata, and P. amplifolia. Of these, Phlox paniculata (garden phlox) is the most popular and thus represents the bulk of the trial.
Phlox paniculata is particularly susceptible to a foliar disease called powdery mildew. While powdery mildew is usually only a cosmetic nuisance, severe cases can cause significant defoliation and even plant death. Because there were hundreds of garden phlox planted in one location, powdery mildew was exceptionally severe and worsened with each year of our evaluation. Our maintenance philosophy of minimal care also added a great deal of stress for these plants, as many of them would have greatly benefited from frequent supplemental water beyond just the first year. However, these extreme conditions did have the benefit of exaggerating the differences between mediocre plants and truly superior plants ones.
The best performing selections of Phlox paniculata are: Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’, ‘Glamour Girl’, ‘Delta Snow’, ‘Lavelle’, ‘Robert Poore’, ‘Dick Weaver’, ‘David’, ‘Ditomdre’ (Coral Crème Drop), ‘Shortwood’, and the hybrid P. × arendsii ‘Babyface’.
The best performing selections from other species of sun-loving phlox are: Phlox carolina ssp. carolina ‘Kim’, P. glaberrima ‘N3 Tasache rvfo hakof’ (N3 Springfall), P. carolina ‘Bill Baker’, P. glaberrima ‘Morris Berd’, P. ‘Forever Pink’, P. amplifolia, and P. ‘Minnie Pearl’.
To view the Phlox Trial Report full-sized, please click here.
Below are detailed descriptions about the performance of each plant in the evaluation. Shade-loving species in our trial are addressed here.
Phlox glaberrima ‘N³ Tasahce rvfo hakof’ (N³ Springfall)
N³ Springfall smooth phlox
Rating: 4.3