Who it feeds
Its April bloom feeds the first butterflies of the year, including spring azures and early swallowtails, and queen bumble bees just out of hibernation.
What it does for the place
An evergreen ground cover for dry, sunny banks that stops erosion and needs nothing once established.
The story
The pink carpets on old stone walls and cemetery banks every April are moss phlox, native to rocky slopes from New York to Michigan. It was a Victorian rockery favorite and has never gone out of style.
Worth knowing
- It is not a moss; the name refers to the needle-like leaves.
- It flowers so densely the foliage disappears.
- Shear lightly after bloom and it stays tight for decades.
Saving its seed
Ripe: Jun, Jul. Tiny capsules after bloom.
Collect: Not worth chasing.
Sow: Rarely grown from seed; divide or take cuttings instead. Divide or root stem cuttings in early summer.
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