Phlox subulata 'Snowflake'

Phlox subulata 'Snowflake': A Tidy White Carpet That Stays Put

Every April this little cushion vanishes under a sheet of pure white flowers, like the last snowfall decided to stay as a guest. 'Snowflake' is neat, low and well behaved. THE ONLY SNOW YOU'LL EVER BE HAPPY TO SEE.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Phlox subulata 'Snowflake'
• Common Name: Creeping Phlox, Moss Phlox
• Height: 10–15 cm (4–6 in)
• Spread: 30–45 cm (12–18 in)
• Flowers: Pure white, star-shaped, in dense clusters that cover the foliage
• Bloom Time: Mid-spring (April to May)
• Foliage: Dark green, needle-like and evergreen, forming a tight cushion
• Features: Evergreen groundcover, compact, cascades over walls

Where to Plant: Use it along the front edge of a sunny bed, in a rock garden or tucked between stepping stones. It looks its best cascading over a low wall or the top of a dry slope. It is happy in poor, sandy or gravelly soil as long as water drains away quickly.

Companion Plants: Plant 'Snowflake' at the front of a sunny, dry bed with steel-blue grass, orange coneflowers and native milkweed. Dianthus Fruit Punch® 'Maraschino' adds double cherry-red pinks at 23 to 28 cm from June to August. Echinacea SunMagic® Vintage Electric Orange brings intense orange coneflowers at 45 to 60 cm from July to September. Asclepias syriaca adds fragrant pink milkweed clusters at 90 to 150 cm from July to September. Helictotrichon 'Sapphire' adds a stiff steel-blue clump at 60 to 100 cm in flower.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in well-drained, average to lean soil. Wet feet in winter are its biggest enemy, so add grit to heavy clay or plant on a slope. Water through the first season, then only during long dry spells. Shear the mat back by about a third right after flowering to keep it tight. Skip heavy feeding. Divide in early spring or early fall if the centre thins out.

History: Creeping phlox, Phlox subulata, grows wild across eastern and central North America on rocky ledges, sandy banks and open slopes. 'Snowflake' is a compact garden selection grown for its clean white flowers and tight habit.

Final Thoughts: Evergreen, tough and done blooming before the lawn needs its first mow. Line the driveway and let the neighbours think it snowed JUST AT YOUR HOUSE.