Phlox paniculata 'Lilac Star'
Phlox paniculata 'Lilac Star' is a striking garden phlox featuring fragrant lilac pink flowers accented by bright white star shaped centers. Blooming through midsummer into early fall, it provides long lasting color and strong pollinator appeal while adding a cheerful cottage garden character to sunny borders.
Height & Spread: 24 - 36 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Midsummer to early fall
Light Requirements: Full sun to part sun
Soil Preference: Moist fertile well drained soil
Watering Needs: Moderate; prefers consistent moisture during active growth
Deer Resistance: Moderately deer resistant
Native Status
This cultivar was selected from Phlox paniculata, a species native to much of the eastern United States. While 'Lilac Star' is a cultivated selection, it retains many of the pollinator benefits associated with the native species.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Attracts Swallowtails, Monarchs, Painted Ladies, and other nectar seeking butterflies throughout its long bloom season.
Hummingbirds
- Hummingbirds visit the fragrant flower clusters regularly for nectar during midsummer and early fall.
Bees
- Supports native bees, bumblebees, and honeybees which forage among the densely packed flowers.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 18 - 24 in apart to encourage good air circulation and allow mature plants to develop full flowering stems.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent for sunny borders, pollinator gardens, and cottage style plantings where its fragrant blooms and distinctive star patterned flowers can be enjoyed up close.
Companion Plants
- Echinacea purpurea 'PowWow Wild Berry' (Coneflower) - Extends seasonal color and provides additional nectar sources for pollinators.
- Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (Feather Reed Grass) - Adds strong vertical structure that highlights the rounded flower clusters.
- Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' (Black Eyed Susan) - Creates a vibrant color contrast and blooms during a similar season.
- Monarda didyma 'Jacob Cline' (Bee Balm) - Reinforces pollinator activity while providing bold red flower accents.
- Nepeta faassenii 'Walker's Low' (Catmint) - Offers a soft mound of blue lavender blooms that complements the lilac tones.