Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox)
Phlox subulata
Family Polemoniaceae
Each spring, creeping phlox makes gravity look decorative — a solid, unbroken sheet of pink, blue, or white pouring over retaining walls and down sunny slopes. The rest of the year it holds the ground as a neat, semi-evergreen native mat only inches tall.
Slopes too steep to mow, wall tops too dry to plant, rock gardens with barely any soil — this is its territory, held with almost no water and visited by early butterflies and bees. Give the hardest-working edge of your yard its one glorious spring moment.
Where to buy creeping phlox (moss phlox) — 3 nurseries compared
Full Sun
Low water
Moderate growth
Native to North America
Attracts butterflies
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing creeping phlox (moss phlox)? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries creeping phlox (moss phlox) — Phlox subulata, print Nº 136, “Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox).”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what creeping phlox (moss phlox) actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-9Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) · Common problems
Common creeping phlox (moss phlox) problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Root Rot in wet clay
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) · Growing & propagation
Growing creeping phlox (moss phlox)
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Low
Drought-tough
Soil- Sharp drainage, sandy/rocky, lean · pH 6.0 - 7.0
Fertilizer- None
Pruning- After bloom
Shear lightly right after bloom to keep it dense and tidy; it's semi-evergreen.
Spacing- 15-18 in
How to plant & propagate creeping phlox (moss phlox)
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) · Seasonal care & spray guidance
The creeping phlox (moss phlox) growing playbook
When to spray creeping phlox (moss phlox)
Growing season. Drainage.
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) · Yearly calendar
The creeping phlox (moss phlox) year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomMarch to April
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Phlox subulata
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) in the garden system
- Groundcover layer perennial
- Nectary/insectary
- Living mulch
- Attracts
- Butterflies, Bees
Habitat- Dry/rocky
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
- Origin
- Native to North America
What creeping phlox (moss phlox) is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxic
Use- Slopes
- Use
- Retaining walls
- Use
- Rock gardens
- Use
- Spring color
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a creeping phlox (moss phlox) variety
'Emerald Blue', 'Candy Stripe', 'Scarlet Flame', 'Snowflake' — pinks, blues, whites
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox)
Phlox subulata
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Phlox subulata
- Plant family
- Polemoniaceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- PHSU3
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) questions, answered straight.
Is creeping phlox (moss phlox) safe for kids and pets?
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox) is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate creeping phlox (moss phlox)?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where creeping phlox (moss phlox) sits in the library.
Nasturtium
Juniper
Blue Fescue
Hens and Chicks