There is a legend about how phlox appeared. After returning from a dangerous and difficult journey to the afterlife kingdom of Hades, coming to the surface, Odysseus and his companions threw torches onto the ground, with which they illuminated their path. Later, in those places where they fell, bright flowers grew, looking like burning torches - phlox. Today there are many different varieties and species of this plant, decorating parks and village front gardens, gardens and city squares. In this article we will tell you what kind of plant this is - paniculate phlox, what varieties and colors exist, as well as the features of its propagation and care.
Why is it called that?
This flowering plant was named phlox, which means “flame” in Greek, by the Swedish physician and naturalist Carl Linnaeus. The fact is that most wild flower species have a fiery red color, reminiscent of flashes of flame. Less common is the version of the German origin of the name. Translated from Goethe's language, flocken means flakes (snow). You can easily believe this by imagining thickets of this plant with many white miniature star-flowers.
North America is considered to be the homeland of phlox, where most of the original species grow. In Europe and Asia you can find only one wild species - Siberian phlox. This is a small plant with creeping shoots and sparse flowers.
In total, there are about 70 species of perennial phlox, and they are divided into ground cover and bush. Only one representative of this family is annual - phlox drummonda.
Variations of red, scarlet and pink shades
- "Windsor" - pink-red petals with dark burgundy eyes, but - a tall plant with pale pink flowers.
- “Brigadier” - with magnificent inflorescences of different shades of pink or scarlet and with a dark core.
- "Bright Eyes" - its pale pink flowers have dark eyes but is one of the lowest varieties with pink-scarlet or hot pink petals and a darker center.
- "Flamingo" - soft pink petals with red eyes - one of the tallest varieties with pink-violet inflorescences.
- “Prince of Orange” - the pink flowers of this variety have a beautiful orange tint.
- "Rijnstroom" - has an intense pink color with bright thin veins on the petals.
- "Starfire" - with spectacular bright red inflorescences.
Biological features
Phlox paniculata, better known as garden phlox, blooms from July until autumn frosts.
The height of this plant, which belongs to the Sinyukhov family, can vary from 40 to 150 cm. The root system is perennial, but its entire above-ground part, flowers, leaves and stems, after the seeds ripen, dies in late summer - early autumn. The powerful fibrous root system that paniculate phlox has is characterized by a superficial arrangement of thin and branched roots, most of which are located in the surface layers of the soil, at a depth of 4 to 20 cm. Because of this structure, phlox are quite demanding in terms of soil moisture and nutritional value, as well as its friability.
Phlox paniculata forms growth buds on the rhizome, at the very base of the stem, just above the point from which the main branching of the roots begins. Next season, a new shoot will emerge from such a bud. In the place where it departs from the old root, young roots are formed. And a little higher - new growth buds. As a result of such processes, the rhizome rises and grows annually, as if crawling out of the ground. For normal growth and beautiful flowering of the bush, you need to add soil to it every year, thus covering the new young roots.
Protection from diseases and pests
The immunity of paniculate phlox varieties is average; the plant can become infected with temperature fluctuations or lack of nutrition:
- powdery mildew;
- leaf rust;
- variegation.
All diseases are fungal in nature. For preventive purposes, the soil around the plant and the above-ground part is treated with any antifungal agent. If paniculate phloxes show signs of infection, they are sprayed with Ridomil Gold.
The main damage to the plant is caused by the slobbering pennies. To combat the pest, “Commander” is used.
Treatment is carried out twice, maintaining an interval of 14 days.
The appearance of nematodes is less common. In this case, it will not be possible to save the plant; it, along with the roots, will be removed from the site.
Features of flowering
Cultivated varieties of paniculata phlox come in a wide variety of colors, from snow-white to inky purple. The only color missing from this palette is yellow. The coloring can be not only one-color, but also two-color. Plants may have an “eye” of a different color, different strokes, rims and shadows. Flowers can be from 2.5 to 4 cm in size. They do not open at the same time. The inflorescence reaches its full development approximately a week after the start of flowering. It lasts, depending on the variety, from 20 to 45 days. Blooming flowers last from a week to two, after which they fall off.
Due to the fact that phlox paniculata flowers open and fall out of synchronization, seed pods are also formed at different times. As soon as the three-lobed seed pods ripen, starting with the leaves, the above-ground part of the plant dies.
Description of the plant
The herbaceous plant is a separate species of the Phlox genus. Its natural home is the fertile, wet plains of the North American Atlantic coast. More than 250 years have passed since cultivation. Thanks to its unpretentiousness, the herbaceous ornamental plant has taken root in many regions of the world.
General description:
- straight stem height from 0.35 to 1.5 m;
- leaves are elongated, ovate, lanceolate or oval-lanceolate, growing oppositely;
- flowers are tubular-funnel-shaped, consist of 5 petals, do not exceed 3-5 cm in diameter;
- the color is varied, depending on the variety (except for pure yellow);
- the inflorescences are complex, growing in dense spreading bunches.
In the old days, paniculate phlox were used to decorate estates. By combining different varieties, gardeners achieved a blooming state throughout the warm season. The flowers are very fragrant, with a subtle sweetish smell. Lush flowering will help create cozy motley corners with a soft, delicate color on the site.
Popular varieties of paniculate phlox of various colors
The timing of flowering is important, but most gardeners, when choosing varieties of paniculata phlox, focus on color. The table below shows popular plant varieties:
| Color | Name | Description | Author |
| White | Snow White | The flower is white with a barely noticeable smoky pink tint, the corolla tube is pinkish | Krasnova N. S., 1952 |
| Junior Fontaine | The flower is pure white, wheel-shaped | M. Vester, 2004 | |
| Europe | White, wheel-shaped, with a clearly defined carmine-colored eye | W. Pfitzer, 1910 | |
| Knight | The flower is white, with a barely noticeable bluish tint, petals with a wavy edge | Konstantinova E. A., 1988 | |
| Pink | Pink Rayonant | The flowers are pink with a light carmine tint, in the center there is a large blurry spot of rich carmine color | Gaganov P. G., 1945 |
| Selena | Dark pink, showy flowers with a silvery smoky hue, with a white star in the center | V. V. Korchagin, V. G. Borisova, 2012 | |
| Miss Pepper | The flower is light pink, with a ring of bright crimson shade | G. Bartels, 1992 | |
| Salmonidae | Pastorale | Salmon pink flower with a carmine ring and a faint whitish center | K. Foerster, 1949 |
| Salmon Glow | Bright flowers of a beautiful salmon pink hue, less intense color in the center and with a small crimson eye | Waller-Franklin Seed, 1939 | |
| Nikolay Shchors | Salmon-scarlet flower with carmine ring | Kharchenko E. D. | |
| Reds | Starfire | The flowers are dark cinnabar-red, velvety, with a dark red stripe at the base of the wavy petals. | B. Ruys, 1937 |
| Tenor | Red-raspberry with rich carmine eye | K. Foerster, 1940 | |
| Seraphim | Fire red flowers | V. V. Korchagin, V. G. Borisova, 2011 | |
| Orange | Florence | The petals are orange-crimson in color, do not fade or lose color saturation | Reprev Yu. A. |
| Ivan-Zarya | The star-shaped flower is light orange-red, with an inner cherry ring. | Gaganov P. G., 1958 | |
| Spitfire | Flowers are orange-red, with a carmine-colored ring | B. Ruys, 1927 | |
| Raspberry | Svyatogor | Red with a crimson tint, brightest towards the edges of the petals | Gaganov P. G., 1953 |
| Enchantment | Slightly curved petals are painted in a rich raspberry-lilac, very bright color, their inner side is purple | Reprev Yu. A. | |
| The robin's song | The flowers are crimson, very bright, resistant to rain and fading | Kudryavtseva O.K., 2006 | |
| Purple | Aida | Velvet flowers, dark purple color | W. Pfitzer, 1933 |
| Monomakh's hat | The petals are purple-violet, with white stamens in the center of the flower. | Khvatova V. N., 2000 | |
| Souvenir | The color is rich purple-raspberry, lighter towards the center | Sharonova M. F., 1965 | |
| Blue, lilac violet, lilac blue | Andreyka | The color is pale, lilac-blue, with a violet eye | Gaganov P. G. 1957 |
| Impressionist | The round petals are pale blue with purple streaks, and lilac in the center | Reprev Yu. A. | |
| Pavlovsky Posad | Wavy petals - dark purple, slightly faded | Konstantinova E. A., 1985 | |
| Chernomor | The color of the petals is deep violet-blue, lighter towards the center, with a dark purple eye, becoming dark blue in the evening | Gaganov P. G., 1956 | |
| Frau Paulina Scholthammer | The flowers are light lilac-bluish, with faded whitish strokes closer to the center, in the evening - bluish | A. Schollhammer, 1924 | |
| Cinderella | Wheel-shaped flowers are painted light lilac, with a raspberry-purple ring | Kvasnikov B.V. | |
| Blue Paradise | The flowers are purple-lilac-violet, turning bright blue at dusk | Oudolf, 1995 | |
| Smoky | Saint-Saens | The color of the petals is pink, shaded with an ash haze, the eye is purple, and the stamens are golden. | Reprev Yu. A., 2006 |
| Zhostovo souvenir | A slightly convex flower of purple color, along the edge of the petals there is a haze in the form of thick silver shading | Konstantinova E. A., 2000 | |
| Dark alleys | In the center of the flower there is a purple-violet star, from which a silvery haze spreads across all the petals. | Morozova G. A., 2003 |
Preparing the landing site
When choosing and preparing a place for paniculate phlox, you should remember that this flower prefers well-fertilized, fertile soils and abundant watering, but does not tolerate stagnant moisture. When working with a plant such as paniculata phlox, planting is not difficult. It is only important to remember that they develop and bloom poorly on the north side, in areas blown by prevailing winds, on slopes, as well as under the crowns of various conifers and trees with a shallow root system, such as birch, lilac, various varieties of willow and poplar.
Phlox paniculata can be planted in poor soils, in partial shade and in the sun. You just need to remember that many dark-colored varieties can fade, and plants growing on uncultivated soils are unlikely to delight you with beautiful and rich flowering.
Reproduction methods
Most varieties of paniculate phlox produce seeds that, once planted, retain the external characteristics of the parent plant, so the crop can be propagated generatively. But more often they use the vegetative method. The most productive way is to divide the mother bush. A plant aged 2-3 years with a strong aerial part is suitable for this purpose. After flowering, the bush is divided into several parts and placed on the site.
On each plot leave 2-3 stems and a well-developed part of the root
The varieties can be propagated by layering. In spring, the lower stem is covered with soil, and roots form on it around August. The cuttings are cut into pieces and planted in a designated place; the young plant is well insulated for the winter.
Select a strong stem and fix it to the ground using metal staples
The cutting method is suitable for culture. The material is harvested in May from the upper part of the stems 10-15 cm long. They are placed in a container with water, when the root threads appear, they are determined by the area.
After harvesting, all lower leaves are removed, the crown is cut off, the remaining leaf plates are shortened by a third
How does paniculate phlox reproduce?
Most varieties of this flower produce and ripen seeds annually. However, there are, although very rarely, varietal lines that do not set seeds at all. This plant can be propagated in a variety of ways: root and leaf cuttings, root shoots, dividing the bush and planting seeds. Let's take a closer look at all these methods.
Cuttings
This method is usually used at the end of spring, breaking off cuttings 8-10 cm in size from the base of the root so that a “heel” remains. They are planted either in a special bed or in pre-prepared boxes with loose soil, after which they are sprinkled with a 3 cm thick layer of clean and coarse river sand. Then it is necessary to cover the plantings with glass or film. Some gardeners use regular large plastic bottles. The cuttings need to be sprayed 3-4 times every day, and after about a month they can be planted in a permanent place.
Care
Watering
Phlox paniculata variety Olympiada
Phlox paniculata is moisture-loving. The amount of water depends on the degree of dryness of the soil. In hot weather, plants are watered frequently and abundantly to completely wet the root zone. The soil around the bushes should be moist, but without stagnation or accumulation of water.
For 1 sq. m (for one watering) in dry weather, 1.5–2 buckets of water are required. Water the phlox in the evening to prevent the water from evaporating quickly. If the autumn is dry and warm, watering does not stop until October so that the plants accumulate a supply of moisture for a successful winter.
Feeding
They begin to feed phlox from the 2nd year after planting. Each gardener empirically chooses his own feeding scheme. It all depends on the rate of growth and development of the plant. The standard number of feedings per season is 3–4.
Nitrogen is used only in spring. In the spring, as soon as the shoots grow to 10 cm, the bushes are sprayed with a urea solution - 1 tbsp. a spoon is dissolved in 10 liters of water.
Before budding, the bushes are mulched with humus mixed with ash and floral mineral fertilizer. After flowering, you can feed the phloxes with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. After autumn pruning, the last feeding is mulching with organic matter with the addition of ash.
Trimming and garter
One of the important procedures is pruning bushes before wintering. It is better to shorten the shoots minimally, leaving a stump of 2–3 cm. Short pruning prevents pests and fungal spores from accumulating between the shoots and facilitates mulching and preventive treatment with fungicides.
Tall phloxes are tied up, otherwise in heavy rain and wind the shoots will lie down and break off.
Winter shelter
Phlox paniculata have long adapted to the conditions of the Middle Zone. Winter shelter for them replaces autumn mulching of bushes. A layer of humus will protect the protruding buds from dying off in snowless winters.
