Creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple'

Questions about creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple'

Does creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' need sun or shade?

Creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' grows in part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 8. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers early May to late May. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' be planted?

14 in (35 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 18 in (45 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 8 in (20 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' plants do I need?

At 14 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 9 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 9 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 28 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.

In the bed above, the planner used 14 in four groups.

Is creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Do deer eat creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple'?

Creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' is over by late May. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lady's mantle: from late May to early July, 18 in tall.
• Astilbe: from late June to mid July, 24 in tall.
• Cranesbill 'Rozanne': from early June to early October, 18 in tall.

What does creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' look like in winter?

Creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' keeps its dark green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.

Is creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' good for bees and butterflies?

Creeping phlox 'Sherwood Purple' is visited by butterflies and hummingbirds.

It is native to the United States (this is a named variety of the native plant).