Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata
Mid-spring buries the needle-like evergreen mats in lavender-pink bloom for weeks. The groundcover for sunny, dry, rocky sites.
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 native that transforms a dry, sunny slope into a spring carpet of flowers. effortless, evergreen, and as reliable as any groundcover in the right conditions.
Moss Phlox is one of the most rewarding native groundcovers for full sun and dry conditions. In mid-spring, the low, moss-like mats of needle-like evergreen foliage disappear entirely under a solid carpet of lavender-pink to pink flowers that bloom for two to three weeks. Viewed from above, a mature planting looks like someone unrolled a floral blanket across the garden floor. The fragrance is sweet and light, carrying on warm spring afternoons. After bloom, the foliage remains tidy and evergreen through winter, making this a twelve-month groundcover. Plant Moss Phlox at the top of a dry stone wall, spilling over the edge of a raised bed, along a sunny gravel path, or covering a dry, rocky slope. It excels in the conditions that challenge other groundcovers: lean, sandy, rocky, fast-draining sites in full sun. It tolerates foot traffic lightly and serves as a beautiful living mulch between stepping stones. Shear it back by one-third immediately after bloom to keep the mounds compact and encourage the following year's flower production.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown moss 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 moss phlox instead of Crown vetch (Coronilla varia) on dry slopes. Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Dry
- Mature size
- 4–6 in · 12–24 in wide
- Bloom time
- Mid-spring
- Bloom color
- Pink, Lavender
- USDA zones
- 3–9
- Family
- Polemoniaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America from New York south to North Carolina; dry, rocky, sandy soils, outcrops, and open woodland edges
Care notes for moss phlox.
Full sun, dry to average well-drained to rocky soil. Excellent drainage is essential. will rot in wet, heavy conditions. Shear back by one-third immediately after bloom each spring to maintain compact form and promote flowering. Avoid over-mulching. No fertilizing. Very drought tolerant once established. Divide and replant rooted sections every three to five years to renew.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside moss 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’.