Phlox divaricata L.

Eastern Blue Phlox; Wild Blue Phlox; Timber Phlox

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Eastern Blue Phlox is a native herbaceous perennial in the Phlox family (Polemoniaceae). It occurs in rich mesic woods, along streams and rivers, and on limestone outcrops. It can be found throughout most of Alabama except for the southernmost counties. Eastern Blue Phlox is a perennial with short rhizomes. Sterile shoots are usually short, decumbent, and evergreen. Flowering shoots are erect. Stems are green in color and pubescent. Leaves are opposite, sessile, elliptic to ovate-lanceolate in outline, with entire margins. The leaves are pubescent with some stalked glands. Flowers are produced in open terminal cymes. The calyx has five lobes that are linear and glandular pubescent. The corolla is salverform with a long tube and 5 spreading lobes. The corolla is light to dark blue in color with a purple “star” around the mouth of the tube. The fruit is a capsule. Eastern Blue Phlox is available from many nurseries that sell wildflowers. It prefers a rich, moist soil in filtered sun.--A. Diamond

**

Native

**