Does Phlox Come in Yellow?

Purple is the most common color for phlox blossoms.

Phlox are flowering plants that come in a variety of sizes and colors. Their growth habits vary between upright and creeping, depending on the variety. Phlox are native to North America and thrive in a variety of climates and conditions. Some produce blossoms early in the spring, while others flower from summer through fall. Yellow is not a common color for phlox flowers.

Characteristics

Phlox are members of the Polemoniaceae family of plants. They come in both annual and perennial varieties. Hardy phlox can withstand temperatures in climates as cold as U.S. Department of Agriculture zone 3, while others won't survive the winters in climates colder than zone 8. While they produce seeds, the plants that germinate tend to revert back to the original magenta color, rather than retaining the hybrid color of the parent plant.

Annuals

Phlox drummondii is the botanical name for annual phlox. This phlox grows between 6 and 12 inches tall and can spread to cover small areas of open soil. Grown as a groundcover, annual phlox adds color to rock gardens and borders. It grows in both full sunlight and partial shade. The small, single flowers come in shades of lime green and yellow, although white and red are the most common colors. These plants bloom for just one year.

Perennials

Perennial phlox are common selections for old-fashioned gardens and butterfly gardens. This plant also goes by the common names of tall phlox, creeping phlox and garden phlox. Some types of perennial phlox form short mats while others grow up to 4 feet tall. Perennial phlox bloom in various shades of color, but none come in yellow. Purple and pink are the most common colors.

Cultivar Colors

Perennial phlox blossoms don't have yellow petals, but some cultivars have small, yellow centers. "Bruce's White" has white flowers with yellow centers, while "Millstream Jupiter" has blue flowers with yellow centers. This small amount of yellow might not make a big color statement in your flowerbeds, but other varieties can supply a burst of color. "Orange Perfection" is a cultivar that produces flowers in salmon shades of orange. "Caroline van den Berg" provides rich purple tones to the landscape, while "Othello" has deep red flowers.

References

• "Tulsa World"; Phlox Can Bring Color to Your Garden; Russell Studebaker; Jul. 10, 2010
• University of Vermont; Phlox; Leonard Perry
• North Carolina State University: Phlox Drummondii
• "Botanica's Gardening Encyclopedia", Susan Page; 2001

Resources

• University of Minnesota; Tall Garden Phlox for Minnesota Gardens; Deborah L. Brown; 2009