Phlox Stolonifera Blue Ridge Creeping Phlox

Phlox Stolonifera Blue Ridge is an evergreen herbaceous perennial with a mat-forming creeping growth habit. It has pale blue flowers and creates excellent ground cover in partly shady spots.

The name Phlox is ancient Greek for ‘flame’ which refers to the intense colours of this versatile perennial. Tall growing phlox are native to North America and Siberia where they grow in a multitude of habitats including tundra, woodland and prairies, but Phlox Stolonifera is creeping phlox that’s native to the Appalachian Mountains.

The cultivar Blue Ridge is loved for its clusters of 5-petaled pale blue flowers with contrasting bright orange stamens. Its dense flower clusters are held on short stems above a mat of green oval-shaped foliage that spreads during the summer months. In mid-summer there are so many star-shaped flowers it’s difficult to see any foliage. Flowers last for 3-4 weeks before falling away to reveal lush green leaves.

Creeping Phlox Blue Ridge is excellent ground cover, a pathway softener, and it goes well with other varieties of creeping phlox such as Candy Stripe.  

Height And Spread of Phlox Stolonifera Blue Ridge
This is a low growing mat-forming plant that reaches half a metre by half a metre over 5 years.  

How Hardy Is Phlox Stolonifera Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge is hardy throughout the UK if its roots are well-drained and it’s grown in partial shade.

How To Use Phlox Stolonifera Blue Ridge
Creeping Phlox Blue Ridge is an excellent choice for carpet-like ground cover, rock or gravel gardens, slopes or banks, or beneath trees where it enjoys well-drained soil. It softens the edges of a flower border or pathway and it will grow happily in a large well-watered container on a balcony.
Salt resistant and able to withstand brisk breezes, this creeping phlox is a tough coastal plant and suits other exposed places where taller plants struggle to stay upright. 

How To Care For Phlox Stolonifera Blue Ridge
Very little care is needed. Creeping Phlox Blue Ridge is easy to grow and tolerates the majority of well-drained soil including chalk, clay, and sand.
Choose a partially sunny spot in an exposed or sheltered location and water it well until you see new growth.
There’s no need to prune creeping phlox, but if you pinch back its taller growing tips, it encourages a bushier plant.