Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Emerald Blue'
Washes a sunny slope or wall in soft lavender-blue for three weeks or more each spring. Evergreen cushions stay tidy and carefree all year.
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
A native rock garden and wall plant that provides dense evergreen texture, early spring color, and genuine drought tolerance with no maintenance.
'Emerald Blue' Moss Phlox transforms a sunny slope or rock wall into a solid wash of soft lavender-blue every spring. The needle-like evergreen foliage forms a tight, moss-like cushion that holds structure all year, attractive even when not in bloom. This cultivar of the species native to eastern rocky barrens produces an especially clean, uniform color and blooms reliably for three weeks or more. It is genuinely carefree once established. Plant it at the top of a retaining wall and let it cascade over the edge, tuck it between stepping stones, or use it to anchor the front edge of a sunny border. Queen bumblebees and early solitary bees flock to the flowers the moment they open. Shear it lightly after blooming and it tightens up into an even neater mat for the rest of the season.
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 Aubrieta (Aubrieta deltoidea). a common non-native rock garden plant. Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Dry
- Mature size
- 4–6 in · 18–24 in wide
- Bloom time
- April–May
- USDA zones
- 3–9
- Family
- Polemoniaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America. rocky slopes, sandy barrens, and open woods from New York to Michigan south to North Carolina
Care notes for moss phlox.
Plant in full sun and well-drained to dry soil. Moss Phlox will rot in wet or clay conditions. Once established, it is remarkably drought tolerant. Shear back by one-third immediately after blooming to maintain compact form and encourage denser foliage. No supplemental fertilizer needed. Divide or replace plants every four to five years when the center begins to die out.
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’.