Phlox stolonifera Home Fires

Phlox stolonifera Home Fires is a spreading perennial with creeping stems that root as they progress. It quickly forms a carpet covered with small, intensely pink and vibrant, fragrant flowers, hiding its narrow, bright green and often evergreen foliage in late spring. It is an effective and charming groundcover for shaded areas of the garden, thriving in damp and slightly acidic humus of the undergrowth. It is also a robust and drought-tolerant perennial that is not afraid of root competition.

Native to the mountain forests of the Appalachians, from southern Pennsylvania to northern Georgia, Phlox stolonifera is a herbaceous perennial with a spreading habit, progressing on the ground thanks to rooting stems. Fast-growing, the cultivar 'Home Fires' will not exceed 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8in) in height, but will spread over 60 cm (24in) in diameter. Its small, round, spatulate leaves, often evergreen in winter, are dark green. This variety has countless small, vibrant pink flowers in spring, gathered in dense clusters, carried above the foliage by slender stems. The flowering occurs in late spring and early summer. Note that this plant is not invasive, its growth can be easily controlled by pruning.

With its mass of true pink flowers and wonderful fragrance, this creeping Phlox Home Fires forms a carpet that is both very fresh and very lively in the undergrowth. It is perfect for shaded areas or for covering the base of bushes, as it is not afraid of their roots, while suffocating weeds once well established. It allows for beautiful borders, in the company of the perennial Geranium macrorhizum.

This is a very diverse genus, composed of perennial plants that can be used in all parts of the garden, from alpine troughs for the smallest species to flower beds for the larger ones, but also for undergrowth, riverbanks, etc. Note that many of them originate from cool regions of North America and they thrive in such conditions. They can be planted in full sun, although some tolerate shade very well, but in regions with hot summers, a partially shaded position is essential.