Annual Phlox
Sugar Stars Phlox is a fragrant annual flower that transforms borders and cutting gardens with an extraordinary palette of pale lavender to deep violet blue blooms, each crowned with a striking white star-like center and intricate contrasting stripes. This heirloom Phlox drummondii reaches 18 inches tall and produces flowers continuously from early summer through fall, taking just 70 to 84 days from seed to first bloom. Thriving in full sun with moderate water and drought tolerance once established, it's a butterfly magnet that rewards gardeners with months of color and cutting-garden abundance.
6-8 inches apart
Full Sun
Moderate
2-11
18in H x 10in W
Annual
High
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What sets Sugar Stars Phlox apart is the remarkable color range within a single packet, the interplay of pale lavender and deep violet blue tones, combined with those distinctive white star centers and striped petals, creates a visual complexity rarely seen in annual phlox. The fragrance is a bonus that catches many gardeners by surprise, filling the garden with scent on warm afternoons. Its long blooming season from summer into fall means you get value from spring sowings that keep flowering right up until frost, while the compact bushy habit makes it ideal for massing in borders or positioning in front of walls where the striped blooms become a focal point.
Sugar Stars Phlox shines in cutting gardens, where its fragrant blooms and long vase life make it a worthy addition to fresh arrangements. It's equally at home massed in flower borders, planted in front of walls to showcase the intricate striping and star centers, or tucked into containers where butterflies can easily visit the blooms. The bushy growth habit means you get dense coverage and continuous flower production throughout the summer and fall months.
Sow seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Plant seeds at a depth of 1/8 inch and cover with vermiculite to maintain humidity during germination. Keep the soil temperature between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and expect sprouts to emerge in 5 to 10 days under ideal conditions.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before transplanting. Move them into the garden after the last frost date when soil temperatures have warmed. Space plants 8 inches apart in full sun.
Direct sow seeds outdoors in early spring once soil is workable, planting at a depth of 1/8 inch. You can also make a second sowing six weeks later for continuous blooms, or fall sow in mild winter areas (zones 8 to 10).
Cut blooms for arrangements in the early morning when stems are fully hydrated. Snip flowers just as they open to full color, removing stems down to a leaf node to encourage branching and more flowers from the side shoots. Cut frequently to extend the blooming season, as removing flowers signals the plant to produce more to set seed.
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