Flame® Lilac Star Garden Phlox

Flame® Lilac Star Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata 'Flame Lilac Star') is a compact garden phlox with fragrant, star-patterned flowers in lilac purple and white. The leafy mound reaches about 12 inches tall, the flowers rise to about 16 inches, and plants spread about 16 inches wide. It is hardy in zones 3 through 8.

Classic garden phlox stands 2 to 4 feet tall. The Flame® series was bred short, so these plants fit the front of a border or a container, where a tall phlox would hide what is behind it. Lilac Star stands out within the series for its bicolor flowers: each lilac purple petal carries a white stripe, which gives every flower head a starry look.

Plant it along a path, in a group at the front of a sunny bed, or as the filler in a mixed pot. For a solid edging, space plants about 8 inches apart. The stems are sturdy and the flowers are good for cutting, and the narrow leaves stay a clean emerald green all season.

Give it full sun to part shade and soil that stays evenly moist but drains well; it is not fussy about soil type or pH. Flowers open from early summer into early fall, and butterflies, bees and hummingbirds come to the nectar.

Add Flame® Lilac Star to the front of your sunniest border.