Eye Candy Creeping Phlox

Eye Candy Creeping Phlox is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and may require the occasional pruning to look its best. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

Spreading

Eye Candy Creeping Phlox is recommended for the following landscape applications;

Mass Planting, Rock/Alpine Gardens, Border Edging, General Garden Use, Groundcover, Container Planting

Eye Candy Creeping Phlox is smothered in stunning lavender star-shaped flowers with pink overtones and dark red eyes at the ends of the stems from mid to late spring. Its tiny needle-like leaves remain green in color throughout the year.

Eye Candy Creeping Phlox will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 6 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 20 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 14 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Eye Candy Creeping Phlox is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

Hardiness Zone: 2

Sunlight: Full Sun To Partial Shade

Height: 4 inches (6 inches with the flowers)

Spread: 20 inches

Photo Credits:  NetPS Plant Finder