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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Phlox caespitosa (Tufted phlox)
Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Phlox caespitosa

Phlox caespitosa Nutt.

Tufted Phlox

Polemoniaceae (Phlox Family)

Synonym(s): Phlox caespitosa ssp. eucaespitosa, Phlox douglasii, Phlox douglasii ssp. eudouglasii

USDA Symbol: PHCA7

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

A low, tufted, slightly woody plant with prickly, needle-like leaves and pale purple, pink, or white flowers.

Tufted Phlox resembles the smaller Granite Gilia (Linanthus pungens), which has leaves divided into needle-like segments. Cushion Phlox (P. pulvinata), found from eastern Oregon to southwestern Montana, in the Sierra Nevada, and throughout the Rocky Mountain region south to New Mexico, has been mistakenly called P. caespitosa; unlike Tufted Phlox, it forms tight mats, and its stems are not at all woody.

 

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb , Subshrub
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 6 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: CA , CO , ID , MT , NM , NV , OR , UT , WA , WY
Canada: BC
Native Distribution: Southern British Columbia south to central Washington, northeastern Oregon, northern Idaho, and northwestern Montana.
Native Habitat: Dry open pinewoods, sometimes in sagebrush.

Web Reference

Webref 62 - Burke Herbarium Image Collection (2020) University of Washington
Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1989 VOL. 6, NO.4 - Spring Climbs Rockies Slowly, Colorado Cooler, Conference of Wildflower and Nati...

Additional resources

USDA: Find Phlox caespitosa in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Phlox caespitosa in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Phlox caespitosa

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-04-27
Research By: TWC Staff

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