Wild Sweet William
Phlox maculata
Tall cylinders of pink to lavender bloom with a spicy clove fragrance that carries at dusk. Good mildew resistance, handles moist clay.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Sep 248 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Sep 258 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Sep 268 AM – 2 PM
Fragrant cylindrical blooms in late spring with better mildew resistance than garden phlox and tolerance for moist soils.
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.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown wild sweet william 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.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft · 18–24 in wide
- Bloom time
- May–July
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Polemoniaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America from New England south to the Carolinas, west to Missouri and Minnesota
Care notes for wild sweet william.
Full to part sun in moist to average, well-drained soil. More mildew-resistant than Phlox paniculata but still benefits from good air circulation. Cut back after first bloom to encourage reblooming. Divide every three to four years to maintain vigor and prevent center die-out.
Pairs well with these.
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