Phlox paniculata Olympus

Phlox paniculata 'Olympus' is a magnificent variety of Phlox paniculata that stands out with its beautifully variegated foliage and abundant, fragrant summer flowering. Its flowers, in shades of pink and mauve adorned with a white eye, harmonise perfectly with the colours of the summer foliage. Excellent in borders with vibrant pink or violet blooms, perfect in bouquets, this tall perennial accustomed to cottage gardens thrives in the sun, in rather moist and rich soils.

Phlox 'Olympus' belongs to the family Polemoniaceae. It is a horticultural variety derived from Phlox paniculata, native to fertile and damp meadows in the eastern United States. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with a woody base forming a clump of leafy stems reaching a height of 80 cm (32in) and a width of 40 to 60 cm (16 to 24in). The stems, stiff and brittle, are covered with alternate, simple, ovate, and lanceolate leaves. Their colour is a mix of almond green and cream, with the cream areas turning more or less reddish pink in summer. The flowering begins in early July, at the height of summer, and continues until September, provided faded inflorescences are removed. The small flowers, 1.5 to 2.5 cm (1in) in diameter, have a tubular corolla of changing colours, ranging from pink to mauve, around a white throat that sometimes turns pink and mauve. They are clustered at the tips of the stems in dense and fragrant panicles, which bend the stems due to their weight. The flowering is nectar-rich and honey-producing. The aerial, deciduous vegetation disappears in winter and re-emerges from the ground in spring.

Phlox 'Olympus' will be planted in perennial borders, in the company of bright pink blooms (Veronica First Love), almost white flowers (Phlox Monica Lynden Bell) pale blue (Phlox Clouds of Perfume), or even with the pink Verbena hastata. It is a charming perennial that is easy to add into flower borders. Also, pair it with lavender blue asters or white flowers with which it forms an elegant contrast. Tall phlox make good companions for shrub roses, and compliment their colours well.