Phlox 'Fashionably Early Crystal'

Phlox 'Fashionably Early Crystal', a garden phlox, is a showy perennial offering early to late summer interest, with sporadic rebloom in fall. Long blooming, starting 2 to 3 weeks earlier than the average tall garden phlox (P. paniculate), the plant blooms in billowy masses of pure white flowers with a faint light purple eye. A pollinator favorite, the flowers are sweetly fragrant and attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The flowers are borne in clusters and make excellent cut flowers.

Garden phlox is also a gardeners' favorite, worldwide. Phlox 'Fashionably Early Crystal' is a multi-stemmed herbaceous plant with a compact, upright habit of lanceolate, glossy, bright green leaves. Stoloniferous, it slowly spreads. The plant is shown to best effect when massed. A tall variety of hybrid phlox, it works well in mixed beds and the middle to the back of borders, but it also works well in containers.

Cold hardy, phlox prefers full sun to part shade and rich, organic, moist, well-drained soil that has a neutral to acidic pH, but it tolerates clay soil. The plant is intolerant of drought but has exceptional mildew resistance. Summer mulch may be beneficial to keep roots moist and cool, and good air circulation helps to further prevent problems with mildew. It is deer and black walnut resistant. Deadheading spent flowers promotes new blooms.

A native plant, Phlox 'Fashionably Early Crystal' is indigenous to North America. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.