Phlox stolonifera (creeping phlox or moss phlox) is a species of flowering plant in the family Polemoniaceae. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that is native to the eastern United States.[1] It occurs in woodlands and stream banks in the vicinity of the Appalachian Mountains from Pennsylvania south to northern Georgia. Naturalized populations occur as far north as Québec, Canada.[2]
Its flowers are pale purple, pink, or white, 2- in diameter, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens, which are borne on stems that are 15- tall. They lack the central band of color that is present in the flowers of the related Phlox subulata.
The leaves are ovate. Those on creeping stems are 3- long and 1.8cm (00.7inches) broad, while those on the erect flowering stems are smaller, 2round=0.5NaNround=0.5 long.[3]
The Latin specific epithet stolonifera means having stolons or rooting runners.
The creeping phlox flowers typically have 5 petals, but there could also be 6 or 7 petals. They range from pale blue and violet to purple and vibrant.
Creeping Phlox is widely used as a groundcover Its trailing growth habit and dense mat-like foliage help suppress weed growth and prevent soil erosion on slopes or in areas where grass may not thrive.
