How fast does creeping phlox grow
Olivia House
Published Apr 23, 2026
Like other ground covers,creeping phlox takes a few years to reach maturity — about two years on average, according to the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension. This means it grows an average of about an inch per month.
How long does it take for creeping phlox to bloom?
Hardiness3 – 9 What’s My Zone?Plant FamilyPhloxExposureFull SunSeason of InterestSpringHeight4″ – 6″ (10cm – 15cm)
Is creeping phlox easy to grow?
Learning how to plant and care for creeping phlox is quite simple. The plant has an easy going nature and thrives in a variety of conditions. Almost any soil is suitable for growing creeping phlox as long as it is in full sun to partial shade.
How far apart should you plant creeping phlox?
Add compost or peat moss to the garden to improve drainage and create a better overall environment. Spacing: Garden phlox should be planted about 18 inches apart, while Creeping phlox should be planted about 2 feet apart.How long does phlox take to mature?
Best planted in either the spring or fall, phlox drummondii will grow at a moderate pace, often reaching maturity after two to three years’ time. However, it will bloom within its first year, making it a great plant to enjoy even in its juvenile stages.
Will creeping phlox bloom all summer?
Creeping phlox blooms for approximately six weeks late in the spring and into the early part of the summer in all zones where it grows.
How long does creeping phlox take to spread?
Like other ground covers,creeping phlox takes a few years to reach maturity — about two years on average, according to the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension. This means it grows an average of about an inch per month.
Will creeping phlox choke out weeds?
For sunny and dry areas, you can use phlox subulata that forms a beautiful, thick carpet and chokes out those unwanted weeds, while phlox stolonifera also known as “tufted creeping phlox” grows in moist and shady areas where it can effectively suppress weed invasion.Is it too early to plant creeping phlox?
Plant phlox in the spring—after the threat of frost has passed—and space the plants 1 to 2 feet apart. If you are moving a plant from a pot, dig a hole about twice the size of the pot’s diameter and place the plant so that the top of the root ball is even with the soil’s surface.
How do you plant a creeping phlox on a slope?Dig and mix the organic material into the soil. Use a garden trowel to dig a hole approximately double the width of the creeping phlox’s nursery container. If planting multiple plants, space planting holes about a foot apart. Slide the creeping phlox carefully from the container, and then place the plant in the hole.
Article first time published onCan you walk on creeping phlox?
Creeping Phlox Phlox preferes direct sunlight and well-drained soil, and it’s durable enough to walk on throughout the year.
How far will creeping phlox spread?
Growing only 3-8 inches tall (7-20 centimeters), but spreading as wide as 9 inches up to 2 feet (22-60 centimeters), creeping phlox is an ideal ground cover and companion plant.
Does creeping phlox stay green in winter?
Moss phlox stays green year-round in mild climates. It forms dense mats of foliage 6 inches high and is often used as a ground cover. Tiny needle-like leaves cover its stems. In cold winter areas depending on snow cover, they may or may not defoliate.
What is the fastest growing ground cover?
- Wild Thyme(Thymus serpyllum) …
- Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata) …
- Trailing Periwinkle(Vinca minor) …
- Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) …
- Variegated Snow on the Mountain(Aegopodium podagraria) …
- Aubrieta (Aubrieta deltoidea) …
- Firecracker Sedum (Sedum) …
- Dragon’s Blood Sedum (Sedum)
Why is creeping phlox dying?
Roots die as a result of over-watering. The garden phlox becomes more susceptible to infections and pest infestations; plants may collapse and die. To control wilting due to improper watering, simply scale back or water more often so soil remains moist without drying out completely or becoming excessively saturated.
Will creeping phlox take over grass?
Creeping Phlox is a hardy, dependable groundcover plant that is widely used in rock gardens, and to suppress weeds on hard-to-mow slopes. … There’s no way to kill lawn grasses in groundcover beds, and if it’s allowed to go to seed, grass will ruin the phlox groundcover and you’ll have to start completely over.
Can you grow creeping phlox in a container?
Can creeping phlox be planted in containers? It certainly can. In fact, keeping creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) in a container is a great way to rein in its vigorous spreading tendencies. This fast-growing plant will soon fill a container or hanging basket with purple, pink, or white flowers cascading over the rim.
Is creeping phlox a perennial?
If you’re looking for a groundcover to brighten up your landscape in spring, Creeping phlox might be the plant for you. This herbaceous perennial grows vigorously, transforming your landscape with its tidy green foliage and bright blooms quickly.
Is creeping phlox toxic to dogs?
Creeping Phlox. Creeping phlox may have dainty spring-time flowers, but this ground cover is tough-as-nails! … It grows to form a lush carpet of foliage and flowers that are non-toxic. It’s unbothered by deer and will hopefully be unbothered by your dog, too!
What grows well with phlox?
Perennial Gardens Garden phlox is a good companion for other summer-blooming perennials such as lilies, bee balm, rudbeckia, Shasta daisies, yarrow, clematis and daylilies. In flowerbeds, the taller cultivars provide a good backdrop for shorter plants.
Can phlox survive frost?
Creeping phlox plants are not as sensitive to frost as many other plants, but temperatures of 20 degrees Fahrenheit for a few nights after a period of warm spring weather will damage them and temperatures below 40 F should prompt protective measures. … Fall frost is not a problem for creeping phlox plants.
Should you deadhead creeping phlox?
Pruning Creeping Phlox Phlox stolonifera benefits from deadheading to permit air circulation and to reduce development of powdery mildew, one of the few phlox problems, according to North Carolina State University Extension. … Start to cut back flowering stems once half the blooms are spent.
How do you keep phlox blooming all summer?
Since phlox is a perennial, the resulting seedlings can become weedy and often do not bloom. Deadheading the plants allows the parent plant to focus on providing blooms and keeping the main crown healthy. You can then divide the plant every two to three years and make more of this lovely bloomer if you wish.
When can I transplant creeping phlox?
The best time to transplant is in the early spring or fall. You will want to lift the plant up and find the area where you can dig up some roots. Even though the little shoots look like roots, you have to get part of the root ball in order for it to survive.
Why is my creeping phlox not blooming?
Some possible reasons they don’t bloom include: Not enough sun. They need at least 6 hours of full sun. Powdery mildew weakening the plant.
Do you mulch around creeping phlox?
Creeping phlox( Phlox stolonifera )is an excellent ground cover. Yes, I recommend using mulch the first season when establishing a groundcover. It will help to suppress the weeds while the ground cover fills in.
How fast does ground cover spread?
Spreading from stolons (underground stems), it will grow into a colony about 2 feet across in a couple of years. Not as aggressive as some, you may want to spread it around; that’s easy to do, just plunge your trowel into the earth and take a hunk (making sure that you have some of the roots).
Does phlox multiply?
Perennials, like phlox, need dividing every few years for many reasons – to keep them in control, to rejuvenate them or just to create more plants for other garden spots. So, how do you know when to divide phlox plants? As a general rule, phlox plant division can be done every two to four years in spring or fall.
Is creeping sedum invasive?
Sedums range in height from about 2 inches to 3 feet. … Low-growing sedums spread themselves over the ground readily, but they’re not invasive, and their shallow root systems make them easy to remove—making them ideal ground cover plants.
What is a good low growing ground cover?
- Heuchera. 1/11. An evergreen perennial, heuchera is known for its vibrant foliage, which ranges in color from silver to green to brown. …
- Honeysuckle. 2/11. …
- Brass Buttons. 3/11. …
- Creeping Phlox. 4/11. …
- Creeping Jenny. 5/11. …
- Stonecrop. 6/11. …
- Vinca Minor. 7/11. …
- Lamium. 8/11.
Can you mow ground cover?
Mowing. Ground covers that root as they spread, as well as those that spread by underground stems to form dense patches, may eventually become so thick and matted that only mowing will restore their good looks.