Phlox Strawberries and Cream

8 Guests

3 Bedrooms

2 Bathrooms

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Fantastically pink and white on the same plant.

Like ‘Plumtastic’, ‘Strawberries and Cream’ was selected for flowers that darken in color with age, yet are attractive in all color phases. ‘Strawberries and Cream’ blooms for four weeks, commencing in late April in northern Illinois (USDA Zone 5). Test plants were 90 percent covered with flowers at peak bloom in early to mid-May. The ¾-inch-wide flowers are nearly white with a light violet-pink blush upon opening, aging to medium and even dark pink-violet. The broad petals make for full flowers, adding to the display. This is a slightly larger and more vigorous grower than ‘Plumtastic’, with three year- old plants growing to 4 inches tall in their centers, 2½ inches tall around their edges, and to 18 inches wide. Winter survival has been excellent, with minimal damage. Overly wet or compacted summer soils can lead to foliage loss for this plant.

Cultural Details

TYPE

Perennial

U.S. NATIVE

YES

Light:

Full sun
Soil:

Adaptable to average garden soils.
Moisture:

Moist to dry, but sharply drained, especially in winter. Drought tolerant once established.
Hardiness Zone

4-8
Bloom Time:

Spring
Bloom Color:

Pink and white
Size:

4" tall by 18" wide
Diseases & Pests:

This selection exhibits excellent disease resistance. Phlox subulata selections may be bothered by powdery mildew in situations of excess moisture, relative humidity, and inadequate air circulation, but this has not yet been observed on any of our selections. These are not bothered by insects, and are rarely if ever browsed by rabbits or deer.

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What Makes Me Special?

Rounded flowers open white with a pink eye and age to bubblegum pink, forming a dense mound of flowers in mid spring.

Landscape Use

Borders, mass plantings, rock gardens, hanging over a wall, slopes

Origin

Phlox ‘Strawberries and Cream’ takes moss phlox breeding in a completely new direction. This hybrid produces novel flower colors not found in Phlox subulata, as well as flowers that deepen in color as they age, unlike P. subulata, whose flowers can fade over time. Reliably lower-growing and possessing possibly higher pH and salt tolerance than P. subulata add to their novelty. The key was crossing Phlox subulata with the western species Phlox kelseyi, which is a deciduous, mat-forming species found in high salinity and high pH, seasonally wet habitats in Idaho and Montana. This is a tough species. While P. kelseyi is temperamental in cultivation in the eastern and midwestern United States, it has imparted novel traits in this hybrid.