Wildflower Wednesday: Phloxy Ladies and Gents 2011

Could be Phlox paniculata 'Orange Perfection'

It's high summer at Clay and Limestone and that means the Phloxy ladies and gents are doing their thing.

What is their thing?

P paniculata 'David'

Looking pretty and

P paniculata sps

Providing nectar and pollen for pollinators during this critical time.

Carpenter Bee robbing the nectar via the tube

Critical time!

Yes, critical! Mid-to-late summer is usually one of the toughest times for nectar and pollen-feeding insects. Plants like phlox are very important producers of nectar and pollen.

That's good to know. Is there anything else you can tell me about phlox?

I'm glad you asked!

Phloxes are native to North America and found growing in diverse habitats from the coldest alpine tundras to prairies, woodlands and meadows. With over 65 different species in North America there are options for many habitats.

Phlox will grow in partial shade or full sun~

Phlox paniculata and Phlox glaberrima are my summer phloxes. Both are naturally occurring in the cooler eastern half of North America. They love moist, well draining, rich soil...What they get here is shallow, dry, clay soil that's been amended with compost, leaf mold and mulch. I do give them a nice big drink if we don't get rain and that keeps them happy. If you can keep them relatively moist and provide decent drainage you'll have good success (hardiness zones 3 to 8) and keep the pollinators well supplied with nectar and pollen.

More robbing!

I count on phlox for weeks and weeks of delightful color. They are easy to grow and require very little maintenance~Just divide every few years. I dead head some of them and let others go to seed. The parent plants will bloom true, but seedlings will be a pleasant surprise of mixed colors. Way back before I knew anything about gardening and way before I figured out how to garden at C&L~summer phlox reigned supreme! I discovered them the first summer after we moved here. Their pretty lilac and pink blooms caught my eye blooming among the shrubs. Luckily for the garden, I knew nothing about deadheading or pinching for more bloom and they seeded all around the yard. Today there are dozens of plantings in shade, part shade and part sun. I've seen bees, moths, butterflies and just last week a hummer nectaring at the magenta/lilac/pinkish flowers!

P paniculata 'David' and unknown mother= A pleasant pinkish surprise.

Isn't this seedling adorable? I need to remember to thank the pollinators!

xxoogail

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. I am so glad you stopped by. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Please leave a comment when you add your url to Mr Linky.

PS The biggest problem I have had with phlox has been an attack of Phlox Bug~a nasty creature that sucks the plant juices and disfigures the plant. I cut the plant back after the first frost and trash the stalks....never composting them. Phlox bug over winters in the stalks and this takes care of most of them. You can read about my battle with them here.



This post was written by Gail Eichelberger for my blog Clay and Limestone Copyright 2011.This work protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Please contact me for permission to copy, reproduce, scrape,