Bright inflorescences of many types of phlox adorn flower beds everywhere. Due to the decorativeness and variety of colors and shapes, these flowers will never lose their popularity. Common classic inflorescences can be found in gardens, flower beds, front gardens, cottages and public recreation areas. They are used to create mix borders and strict cuts.
In addition to external charm, this plant surprises gardeners with its unpretentiousness. Without much difficulty, those who have a private plot can give it an aesthetic look with a hardy flower and fill the garden with an unforgettable bitter aroma. In this article, some types of phlox will be considered in turn, photos with the names of the varieties of these plants.
Botanical description of flowers
Phloxes are a flowering perennial plant (with the exception of one species), with creeping or erect stems. Bush species can grow from 100 to 140 cm, and ground cover - from 10 to 25. The leaves are entire, oppositely arranged, oval orelongated.
The inflorescence includes a large number of small flowers, the diameter of which varies from 2 to 4 cm. The flat corolla consists of five recurved petals, the shape of which is round, cup-shaped, dissected and star-shaped. The color of complex inflorescences is different - from plain and white to bright colors with all kinds of additional elements.
The fruit with seeds is an oval box.
Amazing diversity
Knowing gardeners who love to replenish their possessions with new plants may have visited the question of how many types of phlox exist. Some sources report that there are up to 60 species and almost all of them are perennials.
Phloxes differ not only in color, but also in the texture and shape of the petals. Flowers are large and small, airy and dense, plain and mixed. The main background of the petal can be supplemented by possible stains, spots, dashes and frames of a different color. Their surface is corrugated, wavy, smooth, with notches and fluff.
All types of phlox (some of the photos are in the article) are classified into 3 main groups: spring, summer, and those that begin to bloom at the end of the summer period and continue to bloom in autumn.
There is one variety of phlox that is different from the others - this is Drummond's annual.
Advantages of creeping species
In the design of landscape design, such plants are indispensable. They are picturesquecover the alpine hills and give them brightness and liveliness. With the help of ground cover perennial species of phlox, you can originally border a flower bed made up of tall decorations. They make a great addition to paths at the start of the flower season.
Styloid phlox is perfect for a spring slide as it starts flowering in early May. It has sharp leaves and a different color of inflorescences (purple, white and others). There are several other names for creeping plants: Douglas Phlox, Forked, Rugelli and Charming.
Care for undersized phloxes mainly consists in adjusting the bushes. Their whips grow very rapidly and are able to take possession of a vast territory. Pruning plants is best done in the spring. After flowering, you need to shorten the shoots by 1/3 part. To create a lively spring atmosphere in a plot with flowers for a longer period of time, you do not need to overmoisten the soil. Due to too abundant watering, the plant may bloom poorly or die.
Loose soddy phlox
Types of these flowers bloom a little later than other creeping plants. The splayed phlox is the most popular of these varieties. Wild plants are being planted in home gardens more and more often, and this type of phlox is one of the representatives of these flowers. His unpretentiousness and endurance frees the owners from the extra hassle of caring for him. But still, drought negatively affects the flowering of phlox.
By planting this type of plant, in Mayand June you will be able to admire the blue islands of colorful flowers, exuding a fragrance that is similar to the smell of violets.
In the first year of growth of the creeping rug, weeds must be carefully removed so that they do not drown out the young plant. In subsequent years, the phlox forms a sod layer, and weed grass will no longer be able to drown it out.
Stoloniferous variety is valued for its rapid growth and is very popular in the design of landscapes. Very lush rugs in pink, white and blue cover the surface. They are practical in that they can grow in the shade and tolerate dampness, which is why many summer residents plant them under trees.
Drummond
A beautiful annual plant whose flowers resemble carnations and have a diameter of 1.5 cm. The color is different: purple, pink, red, white and two-tone. Inside the flowers you can see the eye, they look quite bright. Phlox bushes are branched, reaching a height of 30 to 60 cm.
The plant is hardy, after rains the appearance of flowers is well preserved. To emphasize all the beauty of Drummonda, it is better to plant phloxes in groups on alpine slides or mix borders.
Paniculata
The long-familiar flower, which is commonly called garden, is still popular. Panicled species of phlox have a rich palette of colors and lush inflorescences. Purple, white, carmine and purple hats adorn the flower beds. It happens that the main tone of their leavesdecorated with other colors. Using plants in landscape design, you can achieve unique originality. The duration of their flowering gives weight to their characteristic features. Phloxes bloom throughout the summer. Their bushes are erect, from 50 to 140 cm high, the stems are covered with many leaves.
These flowers are loved by many gardeners for their vitality. They perfectly tolerate temperature extremes and are undemanding to conditions. They are also famous for their pronounced aroma and variety of subspecies. Here are the most common varieties: Forget-me-not, Success, Alina, Red Riding, King, Europe, Blue Paradise.
Phlox planting should be started from the second decade of April or early May. They need to be given time to establish properly, and since the weather is stable at this time and the soil still contains enough moisture, this is the most suitable period for strengthening the bushes. If phloxes are planted in autumn, they may not be accepted.
A distinctive feature of the panicled phlox is strong elastic stems.
You can breed flowers of this species both by cuttings and by dividing the bushes. Young plants are covered with spruce branches in winter.
Once you've tinkered on the garden plot and planted a number of beautiful flowers, you can forget about scrupulous care for them for a long time. Photos with species of perennial phlox clearly illustrate the attractiveness of these seemingly ordinary flowers.
Shrub
Phloxes are short and tall. The latter usually reach a height of more than 1 m. The two mostsweethearts of sorts are Mrs. Lingard and Bill Backer. Plants adapt quickly and are able to thrive in acidic soils. Mrs. Lingard has not too tall bushes and a rich pink color of inflorescences. Bill Baker's stems reach 110 cm, and he dilutes the color scheme of bright colors of flower landscapes with the white color of his lush caps.
Types and varieties of spray phlox allow you to diversify the design of ordinary flower beds. Of these, you can create stepped flower beds due to the different heights of the bushes.
To create an attractive decoration for ponds and trees, use the spotted variety of these wonderful flowers. Inflorescences with strokes and purple spots on tall stems take root perfectly in partial shade. Spotted phlox names: Omega, Delta, Alpha, Natasha, White Pyramid, Rosalind.
Arends hybrids
There are also varieties of phloxes that gardeners often use - these are Arends phloxes. They are distinguished by early flowering and persistent aroma. However, like other bush plants mentioned above, they have thin unstable stems. But for many professionals, this issue is solvable.
So that after the next wind the bushes with flowers do not die, they need to be planted close to each other. A dense planting will not only protect the plant from the weather, but also give a richer look to the flower garden. If you cut off the caps after they bloom, then phloxes can repeat their charming cycle. The best varieties of hybrids include: Early Star, Baby Face.
The most colorful flowers
Exclusive phloxes, species and varieties, photos of which can be found in the article, are famous for the unusual color of the petals.
Here are some examples of such plants:
- Variety Alyonushka has pale crimson flowers and a bright core.
- Phloxes called Success have an original middle in the form of a small star and a bright purple color of the petals with a pink border.
- Dutch Phlox Bright Ice has pink flowers with a carmine tint inside.
- Terry phlox impresses with its relief and rare color. The creamy buds of this exotic flower have a slight greenish tint.
- Pepermint Twist features a petal pattern that clearly shows hot pink and white stripes.
- Isabelle variety has a purple middle, from which white strokes extend in the form of rays, smoothly turning into a pinkish tint to the edge of the petal.
- Orange Perfectshin has scarlet blotches on an orange background.
- Chernomor has a bright purple color that varies to blue.
Flower care
Many types of phlox can grow without much care, but to showcase their decorative features, it is better to provide them with proper care.
The most common panicled phlox is best planted in a semi-shaded place. In the shade, this plant will not bloom, and in direct sunlight, the color will look faded and dull.
On fertile soil, bushes with inflorescences will look luxurious and lively. The soil should be dug up in the fall and peat and humus should be added to it, andalso add a mixture of mineral fertilizers.
The bushes are planted at a distance of 30 cm, in shallow holes. The place at the root is deepened by 10 mm, the soil is compacted and watered not too abundantly. If you want to create a new decor in cool weather, you can also transplant flowering phlox bushes. In this case, the plants need to be given more moisture.
When carrying out the next weeding and watering, it is important not to forget to cut off faded inflorescences.
When acquiring new varieties of flowers, do not worry too much about learning something new in caring for them. Phlox species of perennials have slight differences in this regard. For example, styloid phlox needs the same care as other cover varieties.
The main thing is to choose the right place so that you do not have to move the flowers in the future to a more suitable environment for them. Since these plants are perennial, almost all types and varieties of phlox need a permanent site. Photos of these wonderful flowers illustrate what colors a flower garden can be full of, if you follow some rules when planting them.
Reproduction of phloxes
When propagated by seeds, phloxes may lose varietal differences. For this reason, many prefer to propagate plants in bush methods.
Almost all types of phlox are propagated by cuttings, dividing bushes and shoots with leaves.
Dividing a bush is the most convenient method. The root system is manually divided into separate particles and seated.
To produce cuttings, a cut is made on the stem below the bud itself, and on top -5 cm. Prepared stems are inserted into the ground and watered regularly.
Shoots with leaves are prepared in a similar way. But only they are placed in boxes of sand and put in the cellar until spring.
Conclusion
In the article we got acquainted with some types of perennial phloxes, photos and names of these viable and wonderful flowers. Most likely, such information did not leave indifferent amateur gardeners and skilled designers. If you are such a person, all that remains is to realize your innovative ideas and create a beautiful corner using several types of flowers at once. This approach will allow you to admire phlox from early spring until autumn. In addition, by the evening you can enjoy the delicate, refined aroma of flowers, as at this time it is very intensified.
