"Prairie Phlox, Downy Phlox"
Phlox comes from the Greek word for "flame", most likely referring to the flowers' brilliant color.
Sun Exposure | Prairie, Savanna |
Soil Moisture | Wet Mesic, Mesic, Dry Mesic, Dry |
Bloom Time |
Summer, Fall May, June, July |
Bloom Color | Pink |
Max Height | 2 feet |
Wetland Code | FAC- |
Germ Code | C(60) |
Seeds Per Ounce | 19,000 |
Found throughout the Tallgrass Prairie region on the dry soils of open woods and cleared areas. Flowers from April to June and the blooms from range from pink to rose to violet; sometimes white. Leaves are opposite on the stem and have no petiole (leaf stem). Seed pods "explode" when dry.
Early medical practitioners made a tea from the leaves of the Phlox genus to treat eczema and to "purify the blood". A tea made from the boiled roots was once thought to cure venereal diseases. This is an excellent plant for attracting hummingbirds.
Edible Uses: Unknown
Medicinal Uses: Unknown
Herbal Uses: Unknown
>