Phlox maculata Omega

The Phlox maculata 'Omega' is a hybrid phlox close to the American botanical species, with the same fragrance, floribundance and a better resistance to mildew than the paniculate phlox. Smaller than the latter, it also has a more flexible habit and produces an abundance of characteristic, narrow and tall panicles in the middle of summer, where small, nearly white flowers cluster, punctuated by a small fading carmine eye over time. This leafy perennial, a bit slower to establish than the paniculate phlox, will thrive in the sun in fresh, humus-rich soil. It is also an excellent cut flower.

The 'Omega' variety has been awarded in England for its ornamental qualities and performance in the garden. It comes from the Phlox maculata, a perennial and herbaceous species native to the meadows of the eastern U.S.A., belonging to the family of Polemoniaceae. It is very cold-resistant and often grows close to watercourses on the edge of woodlands. Its woody stump forms a bushy clump composed of densely leafy stems reaching 70 to 80 cm (28 to 32in) in height and 50 cm (20in) in width. The sturdy stems, tinged with brown-purple, are covered with alternate, simple, ovate and lanceolate leaves of a shiny dark green. Flowering begins in early July, at the height of summer, and continues until August, as long as faded flower heads are removed. The small 2.5 cm (1in) diameter flowers have a tubular corolla of white colour, barely marked with a tiny dark pink-violet throat. They are grouped along the stems in dense and elongated panicles, highly fragrant in the evening. The flowering is melliferous and nectariferous.

Light, lively, flexible, loaded with flowers and often fragrant, Phlox are perennial plants made for curated gardens because their simplicity and generosity are almost unmatched in perennial beds, to the point that one sometimes wonders what was being planted in gardens before their discovery. They get along well with 'Mohawk' Monardas or 'Wirral Supreme' Daisies. Phlox 'Omega' can be paired with its cousin 'Alpha', which is more pink, as well as with gauras, cleomes, and oriental poppies but also with perennial delphiniums that appreciate the same conditions. Like Nepetas, tall phlox make good companions for bush roses in colour harmony. The Phlox maculata 'Omega' is a top-notch perennial to flower beds and compose bouquets at home.