Phlox drummondii

Phlox drummondii (commonly annual phlox or Drummond's phlox)[1] is a flowering plant in the genus Phlox of the family Polemoniaceae. Native to Texas, it is also widely distributed in the southeastern United States, especially along public highways. P. drummondii is often used as an ornamental plant.[2] The flowers have a wide range of colours "from white and cream through pinks, lilacs, roses, purples and reds, to almost black".[3]

Phlox drummondii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Polemoniaceae
Genus:	Phlox
Species:	P. drummondii
Binomial name
Phlox drummondii Hook.

Phlox drummondii is named after Scottish botanist Thomas Drummond, who sent it and a variety of other plant samples back to Britain following his 1833–1835 expedition to Texas.[4]

Description

It is an annual, growing from seed each year.[5] The branches have sharp, pointed, lengthy, ciliated leaves with rounded flowers. The flowers are single or double, with lightly scented, flat, star-shaped petals. The flowers mature to 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter. It tolerates cold weather well, but requires plentiful watering and dislikes drought, wind and heat.[6]

P. drummondii 'Twinkle Star' mixture

References

1. P. drummondii at USDA Plants Profile
2. Phlox drummondii at Floridata
3. Kelly, James P. 1920. A genetical study of flower form and flower color in Phlox drummondii. Genetics 5(2): 189-248 and 5(3): 361.
4. "Phlox drummondii (Annual phlox)". wildflower.org.
5. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
6. Bruce Asakawa; Sharon Asakawa (3 September 2001). California Gardener's Guide. Cool Springs Press. pp. 34–35. ISBN 978-1-930604-47-6. Retrieved 25 November 2011.

Phlox drummondii along the margin of a north Florida highway