← Bedfellow

Downy Phlox

Phlox pilosa

Also known as: Prairie Phlox

Mid-height prairie phlox with downy soft-hairy foliage and pink-lavender flowers. Earlier and tougher than garden phlox; the drier-soil counterpart to *P. divaricata*.

Family

Polemoniaceae

Type

wildflower

Lifespan

perennial

Height

1–1.5 ft

Spacing

1–1.5 ft apart

Light

sun, part shade

Soil moisture

dry

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

March, April, May

Bloom colors

white, pink, purple

Wildlife value

pollinators

Landscape uses

border, container, erosion control, naturalizing

Native states

AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV