How do we use your location?
Knowing your location helps us recommend plants that will thrive in your climate, based on your Growing Zone.
Creeping Phlox
Creeping Phlox is a spring groundcover standout, blanketing slopes and borders in vibrant color. It's tough, cheerful, and fast to fill in.
Why we love it?
- Low-growing mats of early-season blooms
- Spreads quickly in full sun
- Excellent for slopes, rock gardens, and paths
- A vibrant carpet of spring color
Creeping Phlox – Carpet Your Garden In Color
Turn drab ground into a dreamy garden tapestry with perennial Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata), a low-growing plant that knows how to make an entrance each spring. Like a living paintbrush, it unfurls dense mats of vibrant blooms—pinks, purples, reds, and whites—that spill, trail, and tumble with effortless charm. Whether cascading over rock walls, blanketing slopes, or cozying up along borders, this semi-evergreen groundcover is a steadfast garden companion, keeping a bit of green around even when flowers fade.
Why Plant Creeping Phlox?
Creeping Phlox is beloved by gardeners across the country for good reason—it’s resilient, rewarding, and absolutely delightful. With a carpet of color that arrives just when we need it most, this plant thrives in full sun and brings a bold splash of cheer wherever it grows. It’s cold-hardy, heat-tolerant, and spreads readily, making it an excellent choice as groundcover perennial plant, covering banks, tucking under tall trees, or trailing from containers and retaining walls. Whether you plant a rainbow mix or stick to one signature shade, Creeping Phlox flowers offer a consistent and dependable bloom year after year. It’s also deer-resistant, wonderfully easy to grow, and a natural at weaving itself into pollinator-friendly gardens. Bees and butterflies love those early spring blossoms—and gardeners love the magic it brings to hard-to-plant spaces.
American Meadows Favorites
At American Meadows, we’ve chosen our favorite creeping phlox plants for sale for their winning mix of beauty, strength, and garden versatility. ‘Red Wings’ Creeping Phlox showcases vivid deep pink blooms and bristly evergreen foliage, forming a thick, textured mat that’s perfect for rocky terrain or steep slopes. This award-winning native thrives in tough spots and helps suppress weeds with style. For a fiery pop of color, ‘Scarlet Flame’ Creeping Phlox offers intense magenta-pink flowers that bloom early in the season. Its drought tolerance and evergreen habit make it a standout for retaining walls or dry, sunny hillsides. And then there’s ‘Purple Beauty’—a fragrant, pollinator-friendly favorite with bright purple petals and violet centers. It’s a butterfly magnet, a deer deterrent, and a delightful choice for borders, beds, or under the dappled shade of trees.
How to Plant Creeping Phlox
Plant Creeping Phlox in a sunny spot with well-drained soil to help it thrive. It loves spaces that mimic its natural habitat—think slopes, stone walls, or raised beds. Before planting, loosen the soil and add compost if needed to give roots a healthy head start. Space your plants about 12 to 18 inches apart to allow them room to spread and create that signature carpet of blooms. For best results, plant in spring or fall, giving your Phlox time to settle in before extreme weather arrives.
Caring for Creeping Phlox
Once established, Creeping Phlox is a low-maintenance marvel. During the first growing season, water regularly to help roots take hold. After that, it’s a hardy companion that needs little attention. A light trim after flowering helps keep it tidy and encourages a fuller, denser habit. Come spring, feed it with compost or a balanced organic fertilizer to support healthy growth. In most climates, Creeping Phlox holds onto its foliage through the colder months, offering subtle texture and color even when not in bloom.