Native Plants
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Sunday - July 26, 2015
From: Gaines, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Herbs/Forbs
Title: Why Don't Phlox Bloom?
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
My summer phlox only bush up but never bloom. They are in full sun.ANSWER:
Your summer phlox (I assume they are Phlox paniculata) are usually quite reliable bloomers - especially in the Northeast. They have clusters of pink, white or lavender blooms on 3-4 feet high stems in July and August.
Some possible reasons they don't bloom include:
- Not enough sun. They need at least 6 hours of full sun.
- Powdery mildew weakening the plant.
- Pruning off the flower buds. Pruning the plant in early to mid-summer could delay flowering.
- Too much nitrogen fertilizer which could cause excessive vegetative growth.
- Not vigorous enough. Overgrown plants should be divided periodically
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