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Mt. Cuba Center evaluates native plants and related cultivars for horticultural and ecological value.

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Back to trial Phlox for Sun

Trial Garden

Phlox ‘Aurora’

4 Photos


Summary

Phlox ‘Aurora’ is a relatively new hybrid cultivar developed by The Primrose Path from several different species of native phlox, including Phlox maculata. The lanceolate foliage grows approximately 2’ tall and has a slightly rhizomatous habit. In our garden we observed ‘Aurora’ to be a slowly expanding mass at a rate of about 4-6” per year. The profuse floral display begins in early June and lasts for about one month. Some sporadic re-blooming does occur throughout the rest of the summer, but is largely dependent on plant health. The flowers are white with a pink floral tube. The pink color from the tube often bleeds upward into the center of the petals and sometimes further. The overall look created by this effect is of a white flower blushed with pink. ‘Aurora’ was also the only strongly fragrant cultivar that was not a selection of Phlox paniculata. Similar cultivars like ‘Kim’, ‘Minnie Pearl’ and ‘Solar Flare’ were observed to have only a mild fragrance or none at all. Powdery mildew was never observed on ‘Aurora’.


Details

  • Rating
    3.7 
  • Common Name
    Aurora phlox  
  • Bloom Period
    early June—early July 
  • Peak Bloom
    early June 
  • Size
    24” x 30” 
  • Fragrance
    Strong 
  • Powdery Mildew Resistance
    Excellent