Wild Sweet William

Phlox maculata

Wild sweet William fills the moist border with tall, fragrant cylinders of pink-to-lavender flowers in late spring and early summer. The blooms have a sweet, spicy clove fragrance that strengthens in the evening and carries on still air. plant it near a path or patio and the scent finds you before you reach it. The foliage is clean and narrow, with a spotted purplish stem that gives the species its botanical name, maculata. Unlike the common garden phlox, this species blooms in a tighter, more cylindrical head, giving it a more refined look in formal or mixed plantings. It tolerates moist to wet conditions and holds up in heavy clay when drainage is adequate. Good powdery mildew resistance compared to many other phlox species makes it a more reliable choice for humid summers.