Phlox or creeping phlox is a type of perennial that is usually found in North America. These star-shaped flowers bloom beautifully and vigorously in bunches, with their colors ranging from pink and red to purple, white, and blue.
The best part about phlox is that these flowers can be a positive value addition to any garden throughout the year, especially when they are provided with proper care and maintenance.
If you love gardening and wish to see flowers of different colors, textures, and varieties in your garden, then there are numerous phlox companion plants you can look into to make your garden appear even more aesthetic.
In this article, we will be discussing the best and worst companion plants to pair with your creeping phlox. Let’s get started.
Why Does Phlox Need Companion Plants?
While phlox grows quite well on their own, it adds a nice touch to pair them up with other companion plants that complement their beauty. One can plant phlox in the spring once the danger of frost is at bay and even during the fall.
Since phlox flowers are usually bright in color, try to choose companion plants that are slightly sober as far as hues are concerned.
Based on where you live and the type of phlox you’re growing, these flowers usually grow up to be anywhere between 15 to 48 inches in height. Therefore, place your companion plants behind the phlox so that the view isn’t obstructed. Smaller plants can go around or in front of the phlox.
6 Best Phlox Companion Plants
The following are the best companion plants to pair up with phlox:
1. Baby’s Breath
Baby’s breath, with its conglomeration of white, yellow, or pink shades, lends a certain lightness to the ambiance of any garden. The creeping stature of the flowers often causes them to drape over rock walls.
2. Blazing Star
Blazing stars stand erect with colors ranging from white and pink to purple. Blooming in a dramatic manner, these serve as a great value addition to the phlox in your garden. Make sure that the soil is moisture-retentive and well-drained for these flowers.
3. Shasta Daisy
The physical quality of a Shasta daisy, along with its freshness, makes it the ideal companion plant for phlox. These flowers thrive greatly in soil that isn’t overly rich and is well-drained.
4. Peony
If you want your garden to be a rainbow of various colors, peonies are a wonderful option to combine with your phlox. These plants blossom better when they are placed in an area with plenty of sunlight.
Ensure you make enough space in your garden for these large flowers. Since they have the capacity to grow up to three feet in height while also becoming broad over the years, you will surely require ample space to plant them along with your phlox.
5. Rose
While roses may not be the best companion for other plants and flowers, they make a fantastic companion plant for phloxes. The chances for invasion make them unsuitable to be grown alongside other plants. With phloxes, however, this issue is avoided since these plants do not compete over nutrients.
6. Coneflower
Coneflower, which is also known as echinacea, is a perennial plant whose approximate height is three feet. The pink and purple flowers often attract bees and butterflies. The reason phlox benefits from these plants is because it, too, thrives in the presence of beneficial insects.
3 Worst Companion Plants for Phlox
Since phloxes require a lot of sunlight, they aren’t suitable to be grown near trees that block the sunlight or even tall shrubs. The companion plants that do not work well with phloxes include:
- Begonias
- Daylilies
- Lungworts
What are the Growing Requirements for Phlox?
Here are the growing requirements for phloxes:
Light
The light requirement for phlox depends on the variety you’re planting. For example, a tall garden phlox needs full sun to grow efficiently, whereas a woodland phlox needs to grow in partial shade.
Water and Soil
The soil conditions to grow phlox need to be rich and moist, coupled with effective drainage. Phlox should be watered at the base so as to prevent the formation of mildew on the leaves. Although they are sort of drought-tolerant, they need to be watered regularly while they bloom.
Fertilizer
If the soil is rich and fertile, phloxes don’t require any fertilizer apart from applying a balanced granular fertilizer once during the spring once it gets out of dormancy.
Temperature and Humidity
Humidity could be a problem for phloxes, but the formation of powdery mildew can be prevented when there is proper air circulation. Hence, make sure these plants have enough space around them. If you grow tall phlox, provide them with cool water at the base in case the stems or flowers droop.
Grass Diseases and Pests
The two major problems that you can face while growing phlox are powdery mildew and hungry animals. Deer and rabbits are quite fond of nibbling on these plants. These animals enjoy the flowers of woodland phlox, and they also munch on the young leaves of tall phlox, which delays the formation of their buds.
Get hold of a natural repellent spray to keep rabbits and deer at bay. Powdery mildew can be avoided when you leave enough space between phloxes so as to facilitate air circulation. Remember to flower them at the base and not from the top.
When the weather is dry or unusually warm, phlox can feel the presence of spider mites, causing their leaves to curl downward and turn yellow. In order to remove them, use a hose on the bottom of the leaves.
Conclusion
Many people with a green thumb love having phloxes in their gardens. Not only are they easy to grow, but they also have the ability to tolerate the heat, drought, and humidity often associated with southern gardens.
With so many colors and shapes to choose from, you can mix your phloxes with various other annuals or perennials to amplify the textures, hues, and fragrances visible in your garden or backyard.