Moss Phlox

• Botanical name: Phlox subulata
• Other common names: Moss pink, creeping phlox, mountain phlox
• Light: full sun, part shade
• Water needs: low, medium
• Soil: clay, loam, sand
• Height: 4 – 6 in
• Bloom: March – April
• Sociability rating: 2
• Wildlife value: Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds

Moss phlox is a vigorous mat-forming groundcover with needle-like, semi-evergreen foliage that spreads 2-3 feet wide. It is one of the earliest bloomers in our area.

Bloom colors range from pink and lavender to purple, red, or white. Each tubular flower is about 3/4 inch wide with five distinctively notched petals. It has many cultivars widely available.

This is one of the toughest native phloxes. It thrives in full sun and well-drained sandy or gravelly soils, handling hot, dry conditions and poor soils better than most phlox species.

Excellent for rock gardens, slopes, draping over low walls, or as a groundcover in sunny areas. It’s also effective along paths and walkways, as a border edging, or in foundation plantings. The dense mats help with erosion control.