Perennial Phlox in Zone 6

Tall Garden Phlox

• Phlox paniculata "Blue Paradise" is a form of tall garden phlox for zone 6 borders, where its height makes it suitable for the background. Growing to 40 inches, it is a summer bloomer, producing bluish-purple flowers attractive to hummingbirds. Blue Paradise performs best in areas where the soil does not dry out. "Miss Elie" grows to 48 inches, with pink/rose flowers. The green foliage has good resistance to powdery mildew and the flowers are fragrant.

Creeping Phlox

• Phlox stolonifera "Sherwood Purple" is a creeping phlox cultivar growing just 6 inches high. Sherwood Purple forms vegetative mats 6 inches tall with purple flowers in April and May. Plant it in your zone 6 rock gardens and in the front of a perennial border. Phlox subulata "Red Wing" flowers so brilliantly that it is easily visible from a distance. The 6-inch-high carpet of pink-crimson flowers blooms forth in late spring.

Phlox Arendsii

• Phlox arendsii is a hybrid phlox resulting from crossing tall garden phlox with woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata). "Babyface" grows to 30 inches in zone 6, useful in prairie and cottage gardens. Babyface possesses pink blooms that work well as cut flowers. "United Colors" generates a combination of pink and white flowers that bloom during the middle to end of summer. This form grows to 25 inches and produces a better flowering effect when in full-sun locations.

More Zone 6 Phlox

• Sand phlox (Phlox bifida) grows to 6 inches high, with its pale blue to almost white flowers emerging on the perennial during May. It is tolerant of poor soils and it handles dry conditions. Use this in zone 6 in your naturalized areas and wildflower meadows. Smooth phlox (Phlox glaberrima) grows in light shade, making it appropriate for a woodland garden. This native of many southeastern states matures to between 24 and 48 inches high. The flowers it turns out during April and May vary between pink, white and purple-red.