Phlox drummondii Sugar Stars

The Phlox drummondii 'Sugar Stars' is a new variety of Drummond phlox that is quite fantastic, with its small flowers in different shades of blue curiously splashed with a white star, creating a sparkling effect. This annual phlox of a good size produces a mass of flowers in dense panicles throughout the summer, carried by exceptionally sturdy stems that withstand inclement weather. Pleasantly fragrant, they last up to 10 days in a vase. A low-maintenance romantic plant that is very useful for adding life to borders, rockeries, and flowering pots in a single season.

The Drummond Phlox is named after a Scottish naturalist, Thomas Drummond, who discovered this plant in the prairies of Texas in 1830. This annual species from the phlox family has given rise to many cultivars, varying in height, including 'Sugar Stars', a Dutch variety introduced in 2010. The plant reaches a height of 50cm (20in) with a spread of 30cm (12in) and forms a bushy clump. Its leaves are green and lanceolate, creating a dense background for the panicles in a range of blue shades, from indigo to sky blue. These panicles consist of multiple star-shaped flowers (about 2cm (1in) in diameter) with tubular corollas ending in five lobes. Each flower has a white star in its centre bordered by almost black rays. They are slightly fragrant and bring undeniable charm to romantic gardens. 'Sugar Stars' is an exceptional variety due to the colour of its flower heads and its resistance to inclement weather. The flowers give way to small dark seeds that sow very easily.

Drummond Phlox prefer a sunny exposure and fertile but well-drained soil to flower generously. The blue and sparkling 'Sugar Stars' Phlox will be perfect for bordering pathways, highlighting flower beds, and adorning the terrace in a well-chosen pot. Easy sowing allows for quickly obtaining numerous plants scattered throughout the garden, not far from the house, to admire the unique spectacle of its flowering and enjoy the incessant ballet of butterflies and other pollinating insects. This phlox can be placed in front of a backdrop of purple foliage (Cimicifuga 'Brunette', Physocarpus 'Lady in Red', Berberis 'Atropururea nana'), or silver foliage (Cinéraire maritime, armoises).