Phlox is an amazing perennial garden plant with flowers of white, pink and purple. Suitable for growing in both southern and middle latitudes. We will tell you what these flowers are, how to plant them and how to care for them further.
Botanical description of the plant
Phlox awl-shaped beauty is a North American frost-resistant plant, which does not need to be especially looked after. The greatest advantage in a variety of inflorescences. Therefore, this is the most popular plant in the garden.
Phlox
In height reaches 20 centimeters. Its roots stretch deep into the earth, and the stems are wrapped in lush greenery. Each stalk has many narrow and sharp leaves with a pleasant skin texture. At the top of the shoots is a peduncle. The flowers have an average size, reach a diameter of four centimeters. Depending on the variety, they can be half as much. There are three types of color. Phlox blooms for 3 weeks, starting in May, ending in June. If well looked after, it will bloom again in August and October.
It is interesting! They are readily used in garden design to colorfully mixborders, retaining walls, and the garden. These plants do not need special care and attention.
Species and popular varieties of awl-shaped phlox
The most popular varieties of phlox are:
- Aurora,
- Amazin Grace
- Wilson
- Thumbelina
- Coral Ai
- Candy Strips,
- May’s
- Nettleton
- Tellaria
- Temiskaming.
The first two flowers with an interesting name have a star shape, a snow-white structure and a purple eye. In diameter, flowers reach 2.4 centimeters at Aurora, and 1.8 centimeters at Amazin. Each stem reaches 12 centimeters in height.
The second pair of varieties are cold in color, close to lavender and blue. They have a star shape, grow up to 20 centimeters with a height. The most vigorous varieties. Well used to create beautiful landscape design. They grow, forming lush bushes with lots of flowers.
The third pair has a light pink or snow-white color with pink stripes on the petals. In diameter reach two centimeters. In height reach 10-12 centimeters. Form abundant, lush and long flowering. Valued in gardens for its original coloring.
The penultimate pair of varieties is characterized by a snow-white, wheel-shaped form. They have flowers reaching a diameter of no more than 1.7 centimeters. Form wide and lush bushes. They differ from other species in that they have emerald leaves with a white border. They can be a decorative plant that complements any composition.
The latter varieties have a bright color: from lilac to raspberry color. In diameter, the leaves reach two centimeters. They have a very long flowering. Active growth is observed throughout the summer.
It is interesting! If you take into account the period from 1956, phlox is the most bought flowers in the world.
There are also plants: only with pink flowers, undersized, having dark carmine flowers with black eyes, only white flowers, salmon-lilac, purple, violet, round, snow-white or pinkish-red with thick pillows. All phloxes are divided into two large groups - awl-shaped and widespread.
Popular varieties
Phlox awl-shaped and widespread - what is the difference
Almost all summer residents, buying phloxes, do not see the difference between the widespread and awl-like appearance. Many people think that they are no different.
In fact, both plants have a rather noticeable difference in height, color, resistance to frost and winter, exactingness to soil and friability.
Spread flowers reach a height of 40 centimeters, do not have a large color variety, are not suitable for cultivation in the northern latitudes. For them, it is necessary to select fortified soil rich in nitrogen. Also, their bushes are small and do not reach large sizes.
Subulate like a weed. They live well anywhere. At the same time, they have beautiful inflorescences.
Landscape design application
Phlox awl-shaped to use in the design of the garden is convenient and not costly. It is combined with almost all plants that are lower than it or at the same level.
They can be combined with daisies, pansies, hydrangeas. The lilac and hosta look colorful against the backdrop of phloxes. With them, you can create a cozy rockery, making phlox the central decoration of the garden. They look harmoniously in the garden, where for the most part there is only one green.
It is interesting: many summer residents recommend putting phlox in separate pots and placing them near the house. So the color of the country house and the saturation are given.
Large flower beds of phlox near conifers and small junipers look good. The composition, where phlox, hosta, juniper and several arborvitae are present, contrasts with the garden, and is supplemented with small coniferous chips sprinkled on the ground so that weeds do not grow.
Especially aesthetically pleasing this composition looks at the entrance to the house or a small country house. There are other successful combinations. The main thing is that there should be compatibility and nearby plants do not interfere with each other's growth.
Flower beds
Possible methods of reproduction
The awl-shaped phlox can be propagated using seeds, root or cuttings. The procedure can be performed at any time of the year. To do this, you need to separate the root from the plant or cut off the stem, put it in warm water for a week. As soon as dense roots appear, seedlings can be planted in the ground, abundantly watered with water.
Important! To make growth more efficient, you can add Kornevin to the water before that. The process of propagation by cuttings and stems is identical.
Reproduction by seeds occurs as follows: the most beautiful flower is taken and seeds are taken from it. They are placed in water. As soon as the first roots appear, they can be transplanted into the open ground.
There is another way of reproduction. However, it is the most complex and rarely when the summer resident manages to complete it. This is division by leaves. To do this, the leaves along with the stem are placed in the soil at an angle and cover everything with a film. As soon as the roots appear and the plant will not stagger, everything is transferred to the ground.
Breeding
Landing phlox awl in open ground
Landing awl-shaped phloxes in the ground and caring for them in the open ground are not difficult. As mentioned above, phlox can be propagated and planted both in summer and in autumn.
For beginning flower lovers, it is better to open the growing season in April, when the soil gets rid of snow and warms up a bit. Ideally planted at a temperature of +15 degrees.
It is better to plant these beautiful flowers on the open ground, where there used to be lawn grass with marigold and marigolds. Bad predecessors are strawberries with garlic. This is due to the ability of the plant to get a nematode.
Important! Since there are varieties undersized and tall, they need to be planted, given the depth of the roots and the height of the shoots. Low ones are best planted along the flowerbed, and tall ones near the fence with a floral arrangement. In the center, you can plant tall plants, and on the edges are small.
Choosing a place and soil for planting
Choosing a site to grow and propagate seedlings, you need to give preference to places in which the sun falls well.
The flower can grow in shady places, but then the flowering will not be intense. The place where the plants will be located needs to be cleaned from weeds. After the plant grows, it will be difficult to find weeds under it because of the stems.
We plan a flower bed
Planning a bed of phlox is easy: tall should be combined with low-growing flowers. In summer, geraniums with Veronica, highlanders, bells, cloves and alpine asters can be planted near them.
No less interesting are flower beds, where there are lilies, oriental poppy, peonies, lupins, campanula and feverfews.
For reference: when planning a flower bed, in order to achieve an interesting and aesthetic effect, it is better to use ready-made planting schemes.
Flower bed planning
How to care for flowers
The awl-shaped phlox, like other plants, needs periodic watering when the soil dries, fertilizer, loosening, mulching, pinching, clothespin and pruning. Some of the care features associated with the awl-like variety are described below.
- Cultivation, mulching
Loosening and mulching are mandatory procedures to achieve the desired effect, namely high-quality and beautiful flowering.
Loosening must be done before planting, and mulching for 10 days after weed removal.
It is advisable to add a tablespoon of superphosphate to the ground before mulching. This is a good incentive to start the spring start of flowering. In addition, ash will deter insects.
- Shelter for the winter
Phlox are resistant to frost. They can be left for the winter without sheltering, especially in places where the climate is relatively mild continental. In the zone where it is cold, for example, in Siberian lands and territories along the Urals, it is better to send such perennials in pots to winter at home.
- Pinching, nipping, pruning
Pruning
Removing excess shoots from a plant needs to be done closer to October. Also, this can be done during the period of active flowering.
The flower likes pruning and pinching, he perceives them well. Gives new shoots and flowers.
Important! In October, it is important to cultivate the earth under awl-shaped phloxes with the help of fungicides.
How to care for phlox at home
Caring for a perennial at home is no different from caring for a plant placed in open ground.
Abundant sunlight or an ultraviolet lamp is also required, watering as the soil dries, autumn pruning.
In winter, it is better to put the flower in partial shade to allow it to hibernate and winter. For planting, it is better to take fortified soil in which lawn grass used to grow or buy in the store soil for such grass.
Possible diseases and pests
Phlox awl has good health, so it is resistant to many diseases. However, like all flowers, it is prone to powdery mildew (in this case, there is a slow development with reduced flowering and general lethargy).
This fungus must be fought immediately, since it can destroy all the stems. To avoid its occurrence, it is necessary to periodically treat it with drugs in the spring, in particular, Bordeaux liquid and Topaz.
Disease
Spider mites also attack the plant. Because of them, the leaves dry out, becoming covered with dark spots. In addition, caterpillars and nematodes gnaw stems. When they appear, you need to treat everything with the drug "Aktrofit".
In general, awl-shaped phloxes are plants with lush inflorescences, easy to plant and care. They can be grown both at home and on the street, because they show high resistance to cold and pests. Beginning gardeners and flower lovers should definitely pay attention to this variety of plants.
