How phlox subulate reproduces. Subulate phlox (photo) cultivation, planting and care

Subulate phlox is a perennial ground cover plant. This type of phlox is popular for lawns, curbs and alpine slides. The plant blooms in May and forms a colorful floral carpet.

The name of the species originated from the narrow and tough leaves, the pointed ends of which are similar to the tip of an awl. Phlox are unpretentious plants that can withstand adverse conditions. Growing this species is within the power of even a beginner in gardening.

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Species characteristic

The homeland of phlox subulate is North America, from where it was brought to Europe in the 18th century. "Moss carnation", as the Americans call it, is a plant with recumbent stems not exceeding 15-20 cm in height. Each stem is dotted with closely spaced awl-like leaves up to 2 cm long and ends with a peduncle of one, two or more flowers. The diameter of the flowers is small - 2-2.5 cm, but due to the huge number of stems covering the soil, it seems that a "flower blanket" has been spread on the ground.

The color of the flowers of phlox subulate is varied. There are varieties with white, purple, pink, purple, blue and purple flowers... Petals are solid or with bright eyes, strokes, stripes. Phlox blooms can be admired throughout the month from mid-May. Some varieties, under favorable conditions, bloom twice - in May and in August-September, but autumn bloom not so abundant.

Ground cover phlox is called an "evergreen" plant, it is winter hardy and retains its emerald green color even under snow. In one place, a "moss carnation" can grow for 8-10 years without a transplant.

Plant varieties

No matter how loved by domestic flower growers the phlox subulate, its varieties garden forms bred by breeders of the USA, Japan, and leading European countries.

Plants with white flowers look spectacular, which in the garden landscape look like fluffy snowdrifts. The most popular among gardeners are the varieties "Aurora", "Avalanche", "Amazing Grace", « Maischnee "," White Delight ".

Varieties with pink flowers and a different color eye: "Thumbelina", "Coral Eye", "Daisy Hill", "Moerheimii", "Samson", "Vivid" .

Interesting variety "Candy Stripes" with white flowers 1.9 cm in diameter. Distinctive feature- a wide pink stripe running in the middle of the petal. Long-term profuse flowering and the two-tone color make this plant popular and beloved.



Widespread variety "G.F. Wilson" - phlox with star-shaped flowers and lavender-blue color. The diameter of the flowers is 1.8 cm, the height of the abundantly branching stems is 20 cm. "GF Wilson" reproduces well and is one of the vigorous varieties.

Among the subulate phlox, there are variegated forms, for example, "Netteleto Variegata". Its leaves are dark green with a white-pink border, which, when bright sunlight turns bright pink. Due to the spectacular color of the leaves, "Netteleto Variegata" is used in flower arrangements as an ornamental-leafy plant.

It is worth noting a few more varieties that are popular among ground cover lovers:

• "Tellaria" - star-shaped lilac flowers with a carmine eye;
• "Atropurpurea" - carmine pink flowers with a dark eye;
• "Temiscaming" - bright crimson-purple flowers;
• "Thomasini" - a plant with purple-blue flowers;
• "Ronsdorfer Schone" - salmon-pink flowers;
• "Leuchtstern" - flowers with pinkish-red petals.

Soil preparation

Phlox subulate is considered an unpretentious plant. Its cultivation is possible even in an unfavorable environment. But if you create optimal natural conditions for the plant, it will thank you with long and abundant flowering.



Loose, poor and dry soils are ideal for subulate phlox. Stagnant water is extremely harmful to it, therefore it is undesirable to plant the plant in wet and clayey areas... On the fertile soils phloxes will grow green mass, "forgetting" about flowering.

Under natural conditions, the plant lives on infertile soils with neutral acidity. If the cultivation of subulate phlox is planned on acidic soils characteristic of the Moscow region, then liming must be carried out before planting the plant.

The earth is limed by digging it up with the addition of dolomite or lime flour. Depending on the acidity index of the soil, the dose of lime additives is 200-400 g per 1 sq. M. at a planting depth of 20 cm. Plants do not need a deep layer of soil, as their root system occupies from 5 to 15 cm. Heavy soil can be improved with sand.

In addition to improving soil characteristics, it is necessary to carefully remove weeds from the rhizome area, which can subsequently spoil appearance flower "carpet". It is best to do this before planting - when the plant blooms, weed control will be difficult.



When and how to plant a flower?

Like many groundcover, it is very fond of an abundance of sunlight and subulate phlox, planting which is recommended in a place well-lit during the day. It is undesirable to grow phlox in areas where strawberries or strawberries previously grew. The nematodes left in the ground are the main pests of the "moss clove" and can harm young plants. For phlox, the best predecessors are calendula, marigolds, lawn grasses and garden crops repelling nematodes.



Perennial phloxes are planted and transplanted at any time. But experienced gardeners recommend dividing the bushes in early spring before the start of active growth, and for cuttings, choose the time before flowering or after it.

When dividing phlox, it is divided into bushes with at least 1-2 stems. The plants to be transplanted must have well developed roots. Young bushes are planted at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other. Phlox grows quickly - after one or two years, the space allotted for them will be braided with star-shaped flowers. To make the plants cover the entire area faster, their shoots can be bent, directed in the right direction, pinned to the soil and sprinkled with soil. After planting, the plants need to be watered well and shaded a little.

Attention: When buying planting material in nurseries or garden centers, choose plants small size - Onorcheaper. Bdue to the ability to grow rapidly, by the end of summerphlox subulate YesstsplA great green carpet that will be covered with flowers next year.



Reproduction methods

Subulate phlox rarely propagates by seeds. This is due to the fact that at seed reproduction species characteristics are not preserved. As a result of sowing seeds, you can get a plant that only vaguely resembles the mother.



Phlox seeds are sown in open ground in early spring, as soon as the snow melts. In mid-spring, young shoots are transplanted to a permanent place.

The most common breeding method is by rooting stem or leaf cuttings:

• The process of cuttings is carried out in early spring when the shoots grow back before budding or during the summer after flowering.
• For grafting from mother plant shoots 6-8 cm long are separated, containing at least two nodes. Experts recommend not cutting, but tearing off the cuttings by hand - this way young plants take root faster and better.
• Stem cuttings are planted in boxes with a fertile mixture to which river sand... They are watered, shaded from bright sunlight for the first time after planting.
• Rare varieties of phlox are propagated by leaf cuttings. Leaves with a part of the stem are planted in boxes with wet sand.
• Boxes with leaf cuttings are covered with glass or transparent polyethylene. Seedlings are periodically sprayed.
• From the planted cuttings, small plants will form, which are planted in open ground and take care of them like adult specimens.

Attention:Growingphlox subulate is also practiced by lovers of indoor plants. For propagation, apical cuttingsrootimmediately in flower pots.



Care activities

Caring for phlox styloid includes traditional techniques:

• Watering.

Plants need watering only in dry and hot summers. Excess moisture can lead to wilting.

• Weeding.

If, when planting a "moss clove", it is good to clear the area of ​​rhizome weeds, then weeding is needed only at first. In the future, the plant grows and begins to "choke" the weeds itself.

• Top dressing.

Fertilize subulate phlox in the middle of summer with complex mineral fertilizers, which include nitrogen and potassium. As a root top dressing, gardeners are advised to use a solution of wood ash, which will not only enrich the root system, but also prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

• A haircut.

After flowering, phloxes are trimmed, cutting off the faded stems and giving the bushes the desired shape. Thanks to shearing, the plant is able to bloom again at the end of summer.

Attention: Cutting phlox must be donestraightawayafter flowering. Flower buds are laid in the summerandif you cut off the ends of the shootsin the fall, thenthe plants will not bloom next year.



Subulate phlox is able to grow in one place without transplanting for up to 10 years. But experienced gardeners recommend renewing the plant every 5-6 years. The reason for this is the aging of the flower. During this time, the leaves die off, the stems grow woody, the bushes "go bald", forming open areas... In addition, old plants are no longer able to look spectacular, because the flowers become smaller with age and lose their former beauty.

Caring for a plant in areas with winter subzero temperatures provides for the need to cover phloxes for the winter. Spruce branches are used to protect against frost. Shelter from dry foliage is undesirable because it is unable to reliably protect the plants.

In early spring When the snow melts, phlox can be watered with a solution of humus of low concentration. Top dressing will help restore flower growth and root development. You should not be zealous with additional nutrition, otherwise the plant "will not want" to bloom, but will direct its forces towards the formation of green mass.



Diseases and pests

The main danger to phlox subulate are:

• powdery mildew;
• rust;
• caterpillars;
• spider mite.



Powdery mildew appears as white, cobweb-like spots. It affects first the lower part of the stems, and then the whole plant as a whole. The first sign of the disease is the wilting of the flower and drying of the leaves. If the necessary measures are not taken, powdery mildew can spread to nearby bushes. To prevent the onset of the disease, it is necessary to treat the plant with a solution of colloidal sulfur of low concentration, starting in June.

Rust develops after prolonged rains in cool weather or excessive watering. Thickened plantings and excess nitrogen content in fertilizers contribute to the development of the fungus. Sick plants must be removed from the site by pulling out the stems and breaking off the leaves. The remaining phloxes must be treated with any fungicide or 3% copper sulfate solution.

Signs of an insect attack are leaf discoloration and curling. It is recommended to tear off the damaged parts of the plant and apply chemicals against pests. Experts in growing phlox advise, when attacked by caterpillars, transplant the "moss clove" to another place.



For the prevention of diseases, it is necessary to control watering, not to get carried away with fertilizing and thin out the plants.

Use in landscape design

Subulate phloxes will decorate any garden, balcony or terrace. Florists grow these plants on alpine coaster, in rockeries and rocky gardens. Mixborders with phloxes in the foreground and borders along paths or gazebos look great. The plantings of "moss carnations" along streams or along the banks of artificial reservoirs look harmonious.

Planting in containers makes it possible to decorate a balcony, terrace or set a flower arrangement at the entrance to the veranda. But phlox look most impressive when decorating a lawn or large areas in the garden.

Large parklands planted with groundcover phlox take on a mesmerizing look when millions of stars bloom on the ground in May. A vegetable canvas painted by nature itself, combined with the color of the sky and green foliage, creates magnificent landscapes.

The subulate phlox is indispensable for gardeners, especially since caring for it is simple. With minimal labor costs, the plant will delight you with an abundance of bright "stars", and after flowering - with a solid green carpet.

Subulate phloxes will become wonderful jewelry any garden plot. They are bright, showy and absolutely unpretentious. Belongs to the Sinyukhovye family. The subulate phlox is native to North America.

The stem is creeping or erect. Leaves are narrow-oval. The color of the leaves is bright green. Wherein the arrival of winter does not change the color of the leaves... Fragrant flowers form inflorescences. The sizes of the inflorescence are different depending on the variety.

The colors of the flowers are varied: pink, white, red, purple and others.

Thanks to breeding work, a huge variety of different plant varieties have been bred.

This non-varietal variety culture. This is the name of the plant, because the subulate phlox is a bright and spectacular ground cover, which is lined with a floral carpet. Bright star-shaped flowers look like lights against the backdrop of greenery.

Candy Stripes is a very popular variety. The flower is white. There is a wide pink border in the center of the petal. Plants form floral and colorful carpets. Plant height no more than 15 cm.

Flowering lasts for summer season... It is likely to bloom again in early autumn.




Esmerald Blue

Esmerald Blue is a cultivar with a height up to 15 cm... The flowers are lavender. Plants form a continuous floral carpet.




The bloom is profuse and lasts throughout the summer.




Purple Beauty is a spectacular varietal variety with bright purple flowers. The petals are strongly separated. The variety is highly prolific. The plant begins to bloom in May.

Flowering lasts for 2 months.




Maischnee is another popular variety of subulate phlox. The flowers are small, wheel-shaped. The color of the flowers is snow-white. Plant height does not exceed 10 cm... Bloom lasts from May to June.

Re-flowering in August is possible, but not as abundant as the first.

Cultivation and care of subulate phlox

Subulate is considered a culture easy to grow and unpretentious.

Ground requirements

Subulate phloxes feel much better on poor and dry soil rather than fertile.

On fertile soil, they practically do not please with their bright and fragrant flowers, since the strength of the plant is spent on building up green mass.

The soil must be loose and neutral... Therefore, if the soil in the area is acidic, then it is recommended to add lime to it.




It is advisable to plant phloxes in the area where perennial crops previously grew - marigolds, calendula.

Plant in the former strawberry growing area Not recommended, since there is a high risk of contamination of the soil with a nematode.

Landing

It is desirable to plant seedlings in early spring when the soil is already warming up, but retains moisture.

How to plant?

• Before planting, you will need to prepare the soil, for this all weeds are removed;
• Rotten compost can be added to the soil;
• It is not recommended to deeply deepen the seedlings, since the styloid phlox has a superficial root system;
• The distance between the seedlings should be not less than 25 cm.

Care after landing

The care includes the following procedures:

• Systematic loosening of the soil;
• Weed removal;
• Regular to moderate watering. The water is used warm, because cold water leads to cracking of the stems;
• Pruning wilted inflorescences.

It tolerates frost well in winter.

In the northern regions can be covered phlox subulate. Film can be used as a cover. However, the stems can sprinkle under cover. As a result, the death of the culture is possible. In snowy winters, they can do without shelter.

In summer, plants tolerate drought and temporary drops in temperature well. In drought, watering is required abundantly.




Top dressing

At the stage of active growth, it will be necessary to introduce top dressing, which contains nitrogen and potassium... Further, at the flowering stage, you can apply a complex mineral fertilizer.

It is also advisable to add humus. Humus not only stimulates crop growth, but also promotes abundant and intense flowering. It is better to introduce it at the end of the winter period.

Excess fertilizers, especially nitrogen fertilizers, fraught with too little or no flowering.
As a top dressing, you can use wood ash.

Reproduction

Subulate phloxes reproduce in several ways:

• Seed;
• By cuttings;
• By division.

Seeds

Seed propagation is least common method breeding culture. How to propagate subulate phlox using seeds?

1. Sow seeds outdoors at the end of February;
2. When two true leaves appear on the seedlings, they must be transplanted to the main place of growth;
3. The soil where the seedlings grow must always remain moist.



Cuttings

1. Cut off the apical cutting of the creeping shoot, you can also use the broken off stem;
2. Remove lower leaves from the handle;
3. Rooting occurs when kept in room temperature in a pot with fertile soil;
4. In spring, it can be transplanted into open ground.

By dividing the rhizome

It is desirable to make division in spring, but it is possible even after flowering.

What is required for reproduction by division?

1. The plant is dug up;
2. They shake off the earth from the earthy coma;
3. Each division must have developed roots;
4. The resulting plants are planted in pre-prepared holes.



Diseases and pests

The most common diseases:

• Powdery mildew;
• Variegatedness.

Powdery mildew determined by whitish bloom on the leaves, and variegation manifests itself in the form of ugly patterns on the foliage. It is required to remove the affected parts of the plant.

As a prophylaxis for these diseases, it is required spring process with Bordeaux mixture.

The most common pests:

• Nematode;
• Filamentous worm.

Pests lead to fragility of stems and deformation of leaves... With the development of pests on plants, it is recommended that the plants be dug out of the soil and destroyed, and the soil should be treated with nematicides.



Combination with other plants

Subulate phlox successfully coexist with such plants:

• Asters;
• Primroses;
• Low-growing irises;
• Poppies;
• Rejuvenated;
• Snapdragon.

Phloxes are also good next to conifers: thuja, juniper, pine.

Application in landscape design

Subulate phlox is good for planting on small lawns, where plants form solid flower carpets.

Phlox are also used to create low curbs along garden paths ... It is possible to use subulate phlox in rock gardens, rockeries and mixborders.

Especially nice flowers in the foreground of flower beds. Also, the culture can be grown in containers that will decorate the verandas, porch or entrance to the garden area.

Thus, the subulate phlox is a bright and unpretentious ground cover that can decorate the garden plot, forming a continuous carpet on the lawn. Many varieties are known with a wide variety of colors of flowers-lights.

Phloxes are a bright and lush garden decoration. They are engaged in growing them for cutting, decorating plots, creating compositions in open ground... From the article you will learn about the features of planting this plant, as well as everything about caring for it.

Varieties and varieties of subulate phlox

Snow-white, dark red, pink, lilac - subulate phlox has many shades, planting and caring for which even beginners can do. It got its name from the narrow, pointed leaves, similar to the awl. This phlox belongs to the ground cover species that bloom earlier than others in the spring. Blooming carpet beautiful not only in the photo, but also in any summer cottage.



Variety "Candy Stripes"

Among the varieties of subulate phlox, the most interesting are:

1. Candy Stripes. White flower with a pink stripe in the center.
2. Tellaria. Lilac, star-shaped. Blooms for a very long time.
3. "Myshnee". A dazzling white flower, one of the most common.
4. "Thumbelina". Has a deep pink color. Growing rapidly.



Variety "Thumbelina"

Planting and caring for the plant

When choosing an area for styloid phlox, give preference to a sunny and dry place. Also pay attention to the ground. It should be barren, dry and loose. Acidity - neutral or slightly alkaline. On wet chernozems, plants give a lot of greenery, but they practically do not bloom. Planting depth should be no more than 15 cm, since phlox roots are not very long. The distance between the bushes is about 20-30 cm.

Advice. The best predecessors for phlox are perennial herbs, calendula. Do not root these flowers after garden strawberries: there is a high probability that nematodes remain in the soil, which will quickly take root on new plants.

Phlox care includes:

• regular loosening of the soil;
• weed control;
• moderate watering warm water(the stems crack from the cold);
• removal of inflorescences that have withered.



It is important to know that phlox should not be watered with cold water.

Every 5 years, phloxes need to be transplanted so that their flowering is lush and long. These flowers are considered frost-resistant, but provided that they are covered with a sufficient layer of snow in winter. Therefore, in the fall, it is necessary to cut off the tops, and sprinkle the roots with earth mixed with peat. Cover them with straw additionally, spruce branches fallen leaves.

Attention! If the winter weather is relatively warm, without severe frosts, with frequent thaws, the shelter should be removed, since phloxes can vanish.

Fertilizing and feeding phlox

Annual varieties need 4 dressings per season, perennial ones - 5 (the latter will fall during the period of seed ripening).



Be sure to feed phloxes several times per season.

Approximate fertilization scheme:

1. Late spring: 25 g of liquid manure per 10 liters of water.
2. The beginning of June. The same, but with the addition of superphosphate.
3. Early July. Liquid manure without additives.
4. End of July. Fertilization with potassium and phosphoric salt... Potassium-phosphorus fertilization. Best done in the evening.

Can be used to fertilize phlox with ash. Take 350 g, fill them with 2 liters of water, boil for 10 minutes. Refrigerate, strain and top up with a bucket of water. Use both for root feeding and on the leaf.

Advice. After winter, pour humus over the phlox. This will speed up their growth and root development.

Reproduction of perennial




Protection against diseases and pests

Most often phloxes suffer from variegation and powdery mildew. In the first case, an ugly pattern, unusual for a plant, appears on the leaves, in the second - a white matte bloom. Prevention of these diseases - spring treatment with Bordeaux liquid. If you notice symptoms, remove the damaged plants.

Also among phlox diseases there are:

• septoria (signs: brown spots on the leaves);
• phomosis (signs: fragility of shoots, drying of leaves).



Phlox shoots infected with phomosis

If symptoms of septoria appear, spray the bushes and soil near them with Bordeaux liquid. Do the reprocessing after 14 days. The development of phomosis is easier to prevent by spraying phlox with colloidal sulfur.

Attention! The air temperature during processing must be at least + 18 ° C.

Of the pests, phloxes are most annoyed by nematodes and other filamentous worms. If they settle on plants, the stems become brittle, the leaves and flowers are deformed. Affected phloxes must be dug up and burned, and the soil must be treated with nematicides.

Combination of phlox with other plants



Phlox in landscape design

Phlox compositions with primrose, poppy, edelweiss, dwarf iris and wormwood, aster are successful. This flower looks bright against the background of conifers with a clear shape: thuja, juniper, pine, dwarf spruce. Harmonious combinations of subulate phlox with other ground cover (stonecrop, rejuvenated). Annuals are good in an ensemble with bells, snapdragons, and cereals.

Advice. When choosing "neighbors" for phlox, take into account the flowering period of the plants. Competently combining flower crops, you can create a colorful flower bed that will delight you from spring to autumn.

The use of phlox subulate in landscape design

1. As a lawn. Especially useful for decorating large areas in the garden.
2. Alpine slides and rockeries. Here phlox will decorate the tops as well as smooth out uneven slopes.
3. For creating borders along gazebos, paths in the garden.
4. In mixborders (mixed flower beds). A subulate phlox will look better in the foreground.
5. In between paths lined with stones or slabs, and on stone steps.
6. For flower arrangements in containers. They are placed on the balcony or at the entrance to the gazebo, near the gate.



Phlox on an alpine slide

To determine what is right for you, look at the vivid photos with phloxes. But be sure: whatever application you find for these colors, they will look festive and original everywhere. You just need to dream up a little to make your site even more attractive.

How to grow phlox correctly: video

Types and varieties of subulate phlox: photo


















After all, they perform two main functions - protecting the soil and roots of perennial plants from drying out and decorating the site with emphasis on the beauty of rock gardens and rockeries. One of the brightest representatives of such plants is subulate phlox. We will talk about planting and caring for him in this article. This flower is very popular when creating flower arrangements among ordinary gardeners and professional landscape designers. Photos of phlox subulate can often be found in popular catalogs and magazines about decorative design garden plots. All this is due to the beauty of the plant and its unpretentious care.

Description

Phlox subulate - frost-resistant, abundant flowering plant, which came to us from North America. He received special love thanks to the widest assortment colors and varieties. On average, the plant height does not exceed twenty centimeters. Phlox stems densely line the surface of the ground with sharp, dark green leaves. At the top of each shoot is a peduncle. During the flowering period, which lasts about three weeks (from May to June), the plant is covered with a large number of flowers of small diameter - from two to four centimeters. The most common shades are white, lilac and pink. Repeated flowering in August and September can be achieved with more painstaking and careful care.

The most beautiful varieties



The best representatives phlox subulate are considered bicolor varieties such as Blaze of the eye, Mint Twist and Bavaria. The latter is distinguished by magnificent lilac flowers bordered with snow-white stripes. The delicate aroma exuded by the flower during the flowering period is another advantage of this variety over others. Phlox Bavaria - hardy and fairly unpretentious plant rich flowering. The subulate phlox varieties Maischnee, White Delight, Apple Blossom are often used to complement mixborders and retaining walls.

Soil selection



In general, the plant does not require much soil fertility. Light dry soil is preferred after growing lawn grass or calendula. Too nutritious soil does not allow for abundant flowering due to overgrowth of the root system and stems.

If the soil in your area is too hard, then you can loosen it by mixing with sand. But the increased acidity of the soil will return to normal with a small amount of lime or dolomite.

Planting phlox subulate



The ideal time to plant this plant is mid-April. In spring, these flowers take root better and begin to bloom a little later than those planted in autumn. Autumn planting produced in late September or early October, so that the plant has time to take root before the first severe frosts. The phlox should be watered abundantly and frequently for the first two weeks after planting. And for better survival of rhizomes before planting, they should be immersed in Kornevin's solution.

The site chosen for planting subulate phlox should be cleared of weeds, since it will be much more difficult to do this during the period of growth and flowering. Planting low-growing varieties is carried out at a distance of at least 20 centimeters, tall ones - about 80 centimeters between plants. Acceleration of the fouling process can be achieved by fixing the stems with hairpins and sprinkling with earth with their further direction in the right direction. Flowers are transplanted only after the end of the flowering period.

Growing features



Experienced gardeners use seeds to obtain hybrid and especially valuable varieties of this plant. It is very important to properly prepare them for the planting process. This section focuses on stratification - a procedure without which seeds simply won't germinate. It is carried out in the fall, before the winter planting. The site for planting phlox is cleared of snow, the seeds are laid out on the ground (at a distance of at least five centimeters from each other), then sprinkled with a layer of earth and sand, and on top with a thin layer of snow. Such preparation increases the percentage of seed germination up to eighty percent. The main thing is not to carry out stratification in late autumn, when frosts become permanent.

The first shoots appear in early spring. Fortified shoots are transplanted into prepared, fertilized beds only after two or three leaves appear. The distance between the planted plants should be between twenty and thirty centimeters. One and a half to two weeks after the phlox transplant, it should be fertilized with saltpeter.

Care



Phlox subulate, like any other plant, requires only timely watering, hilling and moderate fertilization. In extreme heat, watering should be increased to 2-3 sprays per day.

The most effective fertilizer for subulate phlox is the simplest wood ash. All micro- and macroelements contained in its composition fully nourish and saturate the plant. And it is very simple to prepare such a solution: for this, about 200 grams of ash are diluted in a liter of water, after which it is boiled, cooled and filtered. Ready solution diluted in ten liters of water and used as a foliar fertilizer. Too frequent and intensive enrichment of the soil with minerals leads to excessive development of leaves and poor flowering.

On the winter period time, phlox should be protected from frost. The best option spruce branches are considered, since, unlike autumn foliage, it does not allow phlox to rot. Humus can be used to restore the plant after wintering. This nutrient will quickly put the subulate phlox in order, accelerate the growth and flowering process.

The plant is rejuvenated every five years. Since at this age the stems of the plant coarsen, flowering becomes less intense and decorative. Moreover, more adult plant becomes weaker and susceptible to various diseases much stronger than the young.

Reproduction of phlox subulate



One of the methods of propagation of this plant is by dividing the rhizomes. To do this, use adult flowers with a formed, overgrown root system. A phlox bush is dug up, which is divided into several parts with a shovel. An important condition the survival of such a plant in the future is the presence of several roots and points of growth on each of the obtained parts. Delenki are planted in pre-dug holes with prepared, loose soil.

The subulate phlox can also be propagated by cuttings. This method is preferred by most gardeners because of its ease. From different parts of the plant, it is necessary to cut off the strongest and healthiest shoots, which are planted in a slightly shaded place. For faster rooting, frequent and abundant watering is important. It is best to use stems, shoots, petioles and roots collected in spring. Such planting material it takes root better over the summer and gives plentiful, dense flowers the next year.

To obtain valuable varieties, use the method of propagation by leaf cuttings. To do this, a stalk with a leaf is planted in moistened sand and covered with a glass or plastic jar, the use of a film is permissible. Planting and leaving the styloid phlox in open ground in this case is carried out after the final engraftment of the cutting, which must be frequently sprayed with water.

Diseases and pests



During the period of reproduction and growth, subulate phlox is quite often affected by powdery mildew. It is quite simple to recognize this disease - the presence of white bloom on the leaves and flowers of the plant. Treatment is carried out through the use of various chemicals.

This plant is also attractive for many pests, for example, caterpillars and nematodes. Their invasion most often leads to the complete death of the plant due to the destruction of most of the leaves, stems and flowers. Having found a damaged flower, it should be immediately eliminated, and the soil contaminated with pests should be treated with insecticides for three to four weeks.

Frequent watering and excessive fertilization leads to the appearance of various kinds of rot and rust. That is why it is important to follow the rules for caring for the styloid phlox, especially since it is not at all difficult.

Finally

Today we have shared with you a photo of the styloid phlox, planting and caring for which it is quite easy to deal with - you could be convinced of this by reading our article. Do not be afraid to experiment with the design of your site, and it will definitely delight you with its appearance.

Name: the subulate phlox got its name because of the shape of the leaves: narrow, rigid, pointed, similar to small “awl”. It is also called carpet, creeping, and at home, in North America, it is called a moss carnation.


Description: T A typical representative of this group. Distributed in the United States from the southern part of Lake Ontario to North Carolina, east Tennessee and west to Michigan. In the wild, it often grows on scree and dry sandy hills, as well as in the light shade of shrubs.

Ph. subulata "Scarlet Flame"
Photo of the Northern Flora Nursery

Plant height about 15 - 17 cm. Forms dense evergreen rugs. Reclining stems with very short internodes are completely covered with tightly set small, narrow, sharp and hard leaves up to 2 cm long ... The stems end with peduncles bearing one or two flowers each. Flowers with a diameter of about 25 mm, pink, white, purple, purple colors of various tones, collected 5-7 in small inflorescences, sometimes single ... Corolla with spread apart, notched at the edges of the petals. Blooms from mid-May to the end of the first decade of June, secondary and less abundant in August - September.

Winter-hardy. In culture, it is now very difficult to find this type of phlox. Its garden forms and varieties, of which there are a lot, are much more common. They are a real decoration of rocky gardens, retaining sgenok, mixborders and other types of flower decoration of gardens and landscapes.

Subulate phloxes are good because from early spring until frost their turf remains emerald green, even under the snow retaining their greenery. And during flowering, in late May and early June, carpets of subulate phlox are completely covered with flowers of various shades (white, blue, pink, red, with bright eyes, strokes or without them). Although the flowers of creeping phlox are small (no more than 2 cm in diameter), their flowering is so abundant that under a continuous cover of flowers, greenery is completely invisible and this lasts about a month. Under favorable conditions, re-flowering may occur in September.

In Europe, the first varieties of subulate phlox appeared in England. However, in the beginning, even in the most distinguished English gardens, species subulate phlox were grown, which were sent to P. Collins in 1745 by D. Bartram from the eastern part of North America. There is information that in 1746 the famous English traveler and plant collector R. Farrer also brought home several copies of the moss carnation. He called this event unusually lucky for floriculture. These first cultivated styloid phloxes came in several varieties with different flower colors and heights.

Gradually, growers selected new forms that appear as a result of natural mutations and hybridization. Today, the progenitors of modern styloid phlox, most likely, no longer exist. In our gardens, garden hybrids bloom, which have been created over the centuries. The first mentions in the literature of styloid phlox appeared in 1696. In Russia, the first book about phlox was published in 1948 (MP Bedinghaus "Perennial phlox"). It became the first work in Russian about perennial phlox, where the author of the book gave descriptions of species phlox, including subulate phlox.

Unfortunately, there are no domestic styloid phloxes, apparently for the reason that this species usually does not form seeds. All we have are foreign varieties and hybrids created in England, Germany, Holland, USA, France, Japan. The authors of these miracles are world-renowned breeders Arends, Lahoda, Bootham, Drake, Bloom, Millstream, Haussermann.

Phlox subulata "Coral Eye" The photo Kennel "Northern Flora"	Phlox subulata "Alexanders Surprise" The photo Kennel "Northern Flora"	Phlox subulata "Amazing Grace" The photo Kennel "Northern Flora"
Phlox subulata "Benita" The photo Kennel "Northern Flora"	Phlox subulata "Nettleton Variation" The photo Kennel "Northern Flora"	Phlox subulata "Purple Beauty" The photo Kennel "Northern Flora"
Phlox subulata "Bavaria" The photo Olga Bondareva	Phlox subulata "Emerald Cushion Blue" The photo Kennel "Northern Flora"	Phlox subulata "Maischnee" The photo Kennel "Northern Flora"

"Aurora"("Aurora") - the flower is almost white, has a pale pink tint, looks like white in the flower garden. The shape of the flower is stellate. Diameter 2.4 cm. Forms carpets 12 cm high - real white snowdrifts.

Phlox subulata "Marjorie"
The photoKennel "Northern Flora"

"Amazin Grace"("Amazing Grace") -the flower is white with a bright carmine-purple eye. Diameter 1.8 cm. Forms carpets with a height of 12 cm.

"G. F. Wilson "("G. F. Wilson") - a light lavender-blue flower, star-shaped. Diameter 1.8 cm. Forms carpets up to 20 cm high, it is considered one of the most vigorous varieties. Branches profusely, reproduces well. Widespread in green building.

"Thumbelina"("Dujmovotcshka") is a deep cold pink flower with a dark carmine eye. Diameter 1.6 cm. Forms carpets 10-15 cm high. The leaf is dark green. Growing rapidly.

"Coral Ai"("Coral Eye) - a light pink flower with a carmine eye, star-shaped. Diameter 2.0 cm. Forms carpets 12 cm high. It grows and reproduces well."

Candy Stripes("Candy Stripes") -the flower is white with a wide pink stripe in the center of the petal along its entire length. Diameter 1.9 cm. Forms carpets 10 cm high. Abundant, lush, long flowering. It enjoys special love and popularity due to its unusual original memorable color. It resembles a variety of paniculata phlox "Mishenka".

"Mayshnee"("Maischnee") - snow-white flower, beautiful wheel-shaped. Diameter 1.5 cm. Forms carpets with a height of 8-10 cm. One of the most beautiful and widespread white varieties. Against the background of bright plants, it truly dazzles with its whiteness.

"Nettleton Variegata"("Netteleto Variegata) - pink flower. Diameter 1.7 cm. Forms carpets with a height of 10 cm. It is valued as a variegated variety. Leaves are dark green with a whitish pink border; in the sun the border turns bright pink. Can be used as an ornamental plant for registration of any flower arrangements.

Tellaria("Tellaria") - lilac flowers with a carmine eye, star-shaped. Diameter 2.3 cm. Forms carpets 12 cm high. Differs in very long flowering.

"Temiskaming"("Temiscaming") -the flower is very bright, dark crimson-purple. Diameter 2.0 cm. Forms carpets with a height of 15 cm. Differs in strong growth, active branching of stems and dense turf. Beautiful dark red leaves. Propagates well by cuttings. Since 1956, one of the most purchased varieties.

Also found on sale:
"Appel blossom"- pink flowers;
"Atropurpurea" - undersized, with dark carmine pink flowers with a dark eye.
"Avalanche"-white;
"Daisy hill"-pink flowers;
"Leuchtstern"- pinkish-reddish flowers. The pillows are very thick.
"Moerheimii"- pink flowers with red eyes;
"Ronsdorfer Schone"- salmon-pink flowers;
"Samson"- bright pink flowers;
"Thomasini"- the flowers are violet-blue;
"Vivid" - flowers are dense pink, round. The turf is dense and grows well. One of the best varieties.
"White delight"- white flowers, grow well, one of the best varieties.

Phlox subulata "Calvides Whitel"
Photo of Andrey Ganov

Location: subulate phlox - a very unpretentious and plastic plant - can put up with the most unfavorable conditions growth. And yet, in order for it to look spectacular and bloom profusely, you need to create conditions close to natural; rocky or sandy dry hills, rocky slopes. The main requirement when choosing a place for phlox is an abundance of light and sun: these plants are very photophilous. Subulate phlox - plants are drought-resistant and cannot stand moisture stagnation. Planting them in places with excessive waterlogging is the most common mistake of beginner growers: as a result, the plant looks weak, does not give the effect of a “solid carpet” and eventually dies.

The best predecessors for phlox are perennial lawn grasses, tagetes, calendula and other plants that the nematode does not like. You can not plant phlox after strawberries, as it is a favorite delicacy of the nematode. Like any evergreens, subulate phloxes should be planted in places with sufficient snow cover in winter.

The soil: these phloxes will thrive on loose, poor, dry soils. On soil that is too fertile, they form a lot of greenery, but they bloom little. In the wild, they grow in poor soils, with a pH closer to neutral. It is known that soils in the Moscow region are acidic. In acidic soil, macroelements are inaccessible to plants, and in an alkaline environment - microelements, therefore, before planting subulate phlox, the soils are limed. Depending on the type of soil, the dose of lime application can be 200-400 g / m2. For liming, usually lime or dolomite flour, moreover, efficiency is achieved only when mixing flour with soil. On heavy soils, sand should also be applied before planting.

Landing: since the root system of soil-covering phlox is shallow (at a depth of 5 to 15 cm), plants can be content with a small layer of earth. When preparing the soil for planting, it is important to carefully select the roots. perennial weeds, since the latter, growing through the sod, will spoil the appearance of the plantings, and it is rather difficult to remove them without damaging the cultivated plant. That is why the main activity in growing subulate phlox is regular and timely weeding. It is enough to plant young plants at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other, and after 1-2 years phloxes form a continuous carpet. To speed up this process, you should expand and direct the stems in the right direction, and then pin them to the soil or sprinkle them with earth: one of the features of the styloid phlox is fast growth its shoots (in 2-3 years they grow up to 40 cm in length) and their rooting in places of branching.

Phlox subulate "Harlequin"
Photo of Anetta Popova

Care: comes down to weeding, watering and feeding: before flowering, during the period of active growth of plants, it is advisable to feed them nitrogen-potassium fertilizers, and in the middle of summer - apply full mineral fertilizer. With a well-chosen planting site, suitable soil and proper care, phlox carpets retain their decorative effect for four to five years or more. Creeping phloxes are considered cold-resistant plants, but in warm, humid winters with a large snow cover, their leaves and stems can grow out. Plants lose their decorative effect, but with good care they quickly recover.

The addition of humus will help improve growth and flowering. However, it should be remembered that these phloxes should not be overfed like bearded irises, otherwise the plants, as they say, will grow fat and "go to the tops", the green mass will be powerful and beautiful, but the flowering will be weak.

If it still seems that the plants need to be fed, or you just really want to do it, you can use wood ash. The ash lacks only nitrogen, but it contains all the macro- and microelements. To prepare an ash solution, pour 300-350 g of ash with two liters of water, boil for no more than 10 minutes, cool, strain and dilute in 10 liters of water. This solution can also be used as foliar feeding... The ash solution is also used as a remedy against phlox pests - it has a sterilizing effect, in other words, it prevents the reproduction of many types of pests.

In the northern regions, where plants require shelter for the winter, coniferous spruce branches should be used, and spruce is better, it acidifies the soil less. A dry leaf is unsuitable for sheltering subulate phlox; it is used only for sheltering plants with non-growing leaves. In early spring, to help phloxes recover faster, you can water them with a weak humate solution, this accelerates the growth and development of the root system.

Like other phlox, plants over five years old should be rejuvenated, since gradually the older stems become lignified, the leaves on them die off, bare areas appear on the lush bushes until then, decorativeness is lost. In addition, old plants in to a greater extent susceptible to various diseases. Flowers on bushes over five years old, as a rule, become shallower, flowering is not so abundant, plants seem to be weakened, look unkempt.

Diseases and pests: although these phloxes are rarely affected by powdery mildew, at least two preventive treatments should be carried out - before and after flowering (you can use Topaz). Nematoda on subulate phlox is extremely rare, but you still need to be on the lookout. But variegation, like all other phloxes, subulate are also susceptible. Variegation is a terrible viral disease, and at the first sign of it, plants should be destroyed. Otherwise, even completely dissimilar varieties will become one face (striped), however, some believe that it is very beautiful.

Reproduction: the simplest and most affordable way of reproduction is to divide the bushes: thanks to additional roots, the plant gets more nutrients and grows even more, forming a strong sod. They are dug up and divided into parts so that each of them has roots.

When dividing the bushes, there are always randomly broken off branches without roots, which can be used for cuttings. It is enough to simply dig them in, having previously removed the leaves from the lower part of the stem, compact the soil around the cutting, water and temporarily shade, for which it is better to use non-woven material (Lutrasil, Span-bond). They take root easily and will begin to grow slowly the next year. It will only be necessary to gently help them, direct them in the right direction.

"Naughty" stems can even be pinned - and in the places where they touch the ground, additional roots will form, which means that the plant will receive additional nutrition. You can plant and transplant subulate phlox, like all other types of phlox, at any time, but it is still better to divide the bushes after flowering, and cuttings before or after flowering, until about mid-June.

Usage: subulate phloxes are appropriate on alpine hills, warm sunny slopes (planting phloxes in elevated places will provide good drain excess rain and melt water), on rocky terraces, in a mixborder, as bright colorful spots on the lawn. Planting them in gaps between stones, on retaining walls or between slabs of garden paths, they smooth out the clear lines of stones and give them a natural look.
Based on articles
Nadezhda Malova "Phloxes: familiar and unfamiliar" // "Do-it-yourself garden" - 1999 - №10.
Igor Matveev "Subulate phlox" // "Garden and kindergarten" - 2008 - №5.