White Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata 'May Breeze'
White woodland phlox that glows in low light, fragrant on warm evenings. Spreads gently into soft drifts beneath spring-flowering trees.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
The best fragrant white native for shaded spring gardens, with evening scent that draws sphinx moths and a clean flower color that brightens dark corners.
'May Breeze' is the white-flowered selection of Wild Blue Phlox, and it is stunning. The pale, slightly reflexed petals glow in low woodland light, particularly effective massed beneath spring-flowering trees like serviceberry or dogwood, where the white echo picks up the canopy bloom overhead. The fragrance is pronounced on warm evenings when moths come to visit. This cultivar holds its white color exceptionally well without the blue center that some woodland phlox selections develop as flowers age. It spreads gently by rhizomes to form soft drifts over time, filling in under shrubs and trees where little else will go. One of the best choices for a low-maintenance shade garden that looks cared-for without constant attention.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown white woodland phlox propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
Plant white woodland phlox instead of Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum). Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Part sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 10"–1.3' · 12–18 in wide
- Bloom time
- April–May
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Polemoniaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America. moist deciduous woods from Quebec to South Dakota south to Florida and Texas
Care notes for white woodland phlox.
Plant in partial shade to full shade in moist, humus-rich soil. Water consistently through the first growing season. After flowers fade, the semi-evergreen foliage provides a neat ground layer through summer. Powdery mildew can be an issue in hot, humid summers with poor air circulation. space plants adequately and avoid overhead watering. Divide every three to four years in early fall.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside white woodland phlox.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.