Phlox paniculata Koningin Paola

Phlox JS® Queen Paola ('Koningin Paola' PBR) is a compact hybrid phlox with changing pink-violet flowering, particularly resistant to powdery mildew. This vigorous perennial enlivens borders all summer long, without flopping or becoming bare at the base. It tolerates summer heat and humidity well, as well as winter cold. This variety is suitable for small gardens, large borders and flowering containers.

This phlox belongs to the Polemoniaceae family. It is related, among others, to the paniculate phlox, Phlox paniculata, also known as garden phlox or perennial phlox, native to the central and eastern United States. It is a herbaceous perennial with deciduous foliage: the entire above-ground part disappears in winter and regrows in spring from a well-rooted crown. 
Phlox JS® Queen Paola is a horticultural selection protected by a European plant breeder's right (EU 64346), resulting from the work of the Belgian nursery Spruyt Select and integrated into the JS® collection, dedicated to highly floriferous and robust perennials. In the garden, it performs as an excellent paniculate phlox. This variety was distinguished with an ISU Award in 2024 for the regularity of its flowering, the stance of its stems and the good health of its foliage. The mature plant forms a dense foliage clump, approximately 40 cm high and wide, topped with flowering stems that rise to 60 cm, sometimes 70 cm. The root system is clustered, with short underground stems that thicken the crown without sending out distant offshoots: the plant "spreads" at the base, without becoming invasive. The medium matte green leaves are opposite on the stems, lanceolate, entire, 6 to 10 cm long, and remain on the plant until the end of the season if the soil does not dry out too much.
Flowering begins in June and continues until September, or even beyond, if the first spent flower stems are lightly pruned. The inflorescences are dense, upright panicles, borne at the top of sturdy stems. Each flower is tubular with five spreading lobes and measures about 2 cm in diameter. Their colour evolves throughout the season: the buds open in lilac-pink or light mauve tones and then turn a deeper purplish mauve: several shades of violet are present simultaneously on each panicle, which gives the plant depth. The flowers are pleasantly fragrant and attract butterflies and other pollinating insects. One of the great assets of Queen Paola is its remarkable resistance to powdery mildew, even in hot and humid summers. Its hardiness is around –20 to –25 °C, which allows it to be grown in most climates. Its name, ‘Koningin Paola’, literally means "Queen Paola" and pays homage to Queen Paola of Belgium.

Plant Phlox JS® Queen Paola in small groups of three to five young plants to form a large colourful cushion in the middle of a flower bed, in the foreground of light shrubs or in front of ornamental grasses. Its pink-violet flowering harmonises with pastel or deeper tones. You can pair it with the blue spikes of Agastache ‘Blue Boa’ and the purplish foliage of the small Panicum virgatum ‘Sangria’, interspersed with a few clumps of Astrantia major ‘Star of Love’ with its rose magenta flowers. Queen Paola also grows very well in a large pot, on a sunny or lightly shaded terrace.