Species PlantsWild Blue Phlox

Wild Blue Phlox

Phlox divaricata

CommonPlant
Illustration of Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

Wild Blue Phlox is a spring-blooming woodland wildflower producing loose clusters of fragrant, pale blue to lavender five-petaled flowers from April to June. Native to eastern North America, it grows 10–20 inches tall and spreads by stolons to form attractive colonies. The fragrance is strongest at dusk, attracting night-flying moths. Wild Blue Phlox is a beloved native garden plant for partly shaded areas and makes an outstanding groundcover.

Habitat
Found in rich, moist deciduous woodlands and woodland edges across eastern North America.
Diet
Fragrant flowers attract sphinx moths, swallowtail butterflies, and long-tongued native bees.
How common
Common

Best time to see a Wild Blue Phlox

The best time to see a Wild Blue Phlox is March–April, when about 67% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 37,490 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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