Phlox subulata 'Drummond's Pink' is a vigorous evergreen ground cover producing a dense carpet of needle like foliage and bright pink spring blooms. Its vibrant flower display blankets slopes, rock gardens, and retaining walls in early spring providing essential nectar for early pollinators. Its mat forming habit helps suppress weeds and prevent erosion in sunny dry locations.
Height & Spread: 4 - 6 in x 12 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Early to mid spring
Light Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained, sandy or gravelly soils
Watering Needs: Low; drought tolerant once established
Deer Resistance: Generally avoided by deer
Native Status
This selection is derived from Phlox subulata, a species native to the eastern United States from Pennsylvania to the Carolinas and Tennessee.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Highly attractive to early flying butterflies such as Spring Azures and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails.
Bees
- Supports honeybees, bumblebees, and small native bees seeking early nectar sources in spring.
Moths
- Provides nectar for day flying moths and serves as occasional shelter for small resting species in rock gardens.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 12 - 18 in apart for full coverage and effective weed suppression in open ground or on slopes.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent in rock gardens, draping over walls, edging paths, or cascading from raised beds. Ideal for dry hillsides and curbside strips.
Companion Plants
- Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' (Purple Coneflower) - Adds mid to late season flower color and height with strong pollinator appeal.
- Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' (Beardtongue) - Offers contrasting dark foliage and white flowers, standing out among phlox's spring carpet.
- Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam' (Tickseed) - Bright yellow flowers and fine foliage contrast with pink phlox in late spring and summer.
- Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' (Wood Sage) - Purple spiked blooms rise above the low phlox mat for season long vertical interest.
- Allium schoenoprasum (Chives) - Pairs well with Phlox in sunny borders, adding rounded flower heads above grassy foliage.