Phlox douglasii Ochsenblut

The Phlox douglasii 'Ochsenblut', also known as Dwarf Phlox or Moss Phlox, is a hardy perennial with evergreen foliage that forms a pleasant cushion of fine green needle-like leaves, covered in spring with a multitude of small flowers ranging from red to crimson pink, star-shaped. It is a ground-covering plant of alpine origin, well suited to sunny and semi-shaded rockeries. Very different from the tall phlox, Moss Phlox thrives in well-draining soil, even limestone, gravelly or sandy, and even dry, adapting to poor soils. In humid regions, it is best to plant it on a slope or a wall.

Native to the North American mountains and belonging to the Polemoniaceae family, the Phlox douglasii 'Ochsenblut' is a dwarf variety with dense, pointed foliage, but not prickly, composed of small dark green lanceolate leaves. From April to June, this Phlox develops large inflorescences composed of 5-petaled flowers in a beautiful bright red-pink colour. They are carried on short peduncles. It is a ground-covering plant that reaches a height of 20 cm (8in) and a width of 30 cm (12in) but can spread further over time if conditions are suitable.

This phlox thrives in intense sunlight or light shade in light, humus-rich, dry, moist soil. While not strictly calcicolous, it can tolerate limestone. Hardy to at least -15°C and rather resistant, Phlox douglasii can still be affected by powdery mildew in less sunny and/or confined areas or when exposed to moisture. In the garden, you can plant it at the edge of a flower bed to highlight its shape, in a rockery, on a wall, or in a gravel garden alongside Saxifrage, Ivy-leaved Toadflax, and Dwarf Aster. Also consider Geranium cinereum and Erodium, small perennials that appreciate the same conditions.