How to Prune Phlox
Phlox provide a brilliant display of highly fragrant blooms in mid-summer. Derived from the Greek word for flame, phlox are often referred to as flame flowers. Although there are more than 60 species of phlox, garden phlox (sometimes referred to as summer phlox) are the most popular and are reminiscent of cottage gardens. The profuse blooms--available in shades of pink, red and white--traditionally adorned the yards of early American homesteads and can be found growing wild around abandoned homes in rural areas. These hardy perennials require minimal pruning to maintain shape and to promote blooming and quick spreading, which creates masses of color; their color attacts attract bees and butterflies by day and moths by night. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Maintain overall size and shape with light pruning before the onset of blooms. Phlox can be pruned back by an inch or two early in the season to encourage bushy growth, but they generally do not require intervention.
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Prune back several inches once the first flush of blooms fade to encourage a new crop of blooms. Although the second blooming will not be as prolific as the first, it will provide a new flush of color and fragrance.
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Cut phlox to ground level in the fall once the leaves have been killed by frost.
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Tips & Warnings
Grow phlox near windows where fragrance will waft through open windows in the evening, when they are particularly fragrant. Mulch lightly with leaves or hay in the fall to protect from the ravages of winter weather. Remove mulch in spring once new growth emerges.
References
- Photo Credit ltshears/morguefile
