Phlox drummondii Hook.

Annual Phlox; Drummond's Phlox

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Drummond's Phlox is an introduced winter annual in the Phlox family (Polemoniaceae). It can be found at scattered locations across the state but is most common in southeast Alabama. It is native to Texas. In Alabama it can be found on roadsides, along railroads, in fallow fields, in hay fields, and in other open, disturbed sites. Drummond's Phlox is a winter annual with a tap root. Seed germinate in in late winter. Stems are 6-12 inches in height, green in color, and branched above the middle. The stems are glandular pubescent. Leaves are opposite, sessile, oblong to elliptic in outline, with entire margins. The leaves are pubescent on both surfaces. Flowers are produced in terminal cymes. Individual flowers have a 5 lobed calyx and a salverform corolla. The tube of the corolla is glandular pubescent and there are 5 rounded lobes. Flower color varies widely from purple to red or white and bi-colored. Most flowers have a star-shaped “eye” at the mouth of the tube. The fruit is a capsule. Drummond's Phlox is a popular annual and seed are readily available. Over 250 varieties have been selected. It is used extensively in roadside wildflower plants and in wildflower seed mixtures.--A. Diamond

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Not Native

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