Scarlet Flame Creeping Phlox
Best low-maintenance groundcover for gardeners seeking vibrant, deer-resistant spring color.
Transform your garden with the vibrant Scarlet Flame Creeping Phlox. This fast-growing perennial creates a stunning groundcover, blanketing sunny areas with brilliant pinkish-red blooms in early to mid-spring. Its dense, matted habit provides excellent coverage without being invasive. The needle-like foliage remains evergreen in warmer climates, offering year-round interest. Highly resistant to deer, rabbits, and diseases, this low-maintenance plant is ideal for slopes, rock gardens, or filling bare patches. For best results, trim lightly after flowering to encourage fresh summer foliage.
$22.95
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
1072
/ 2693
#1072 in Plants
Price vs Category Average
-48%
Below average
SKU
43558
Who it's for
- Gardeners seeking high-impact, early-season floral displays
- Landscapers needing low-maintenance erosion control for slopes
- Homeowners with sunny, dry garden spots needing resilient plants
Who should skip it
- Gardeners managing heavy, moisture-retaining clay soil conditions
- Gardeners wanting continuous color throughout the entire growing season
- Busy gardeners looking for strictly hands-off, zero-maintenance greenery
Performance breakdown
Groundcover Density
Creates a thick, lush carpet that effectively suppresses unwanted garden weeds.
Pest Resistance
Reliably deters deer and rabbits from grazing on your landscape investment.
Climate Adaptability
Thrives across a broad range of zones from chilly three to nine.
Maintenance Ease
Requires minimal effort beyond a simple post-bloom trim each season.
Visual Impact
Delivers a high-contrast, vibrant color explosion during the early spring months.
Establishment Speed
Rapid growth habit fills in bare patches faster than most perennials.
Key Specs
SKU
43558
Genus
Phlox
Species
subulata
Item Form
4 1/2-inch Pot
Mature Height
4 in
Mature Width
2 Feet
Hardiness Zones
3 - 9
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Features
- Quick-growing groundcover
- Heat and humidity tolerant
- Deer and rabbit resistant
- Dense, non-invasive cover
- Brilliant pinkish-red spring blooms
- Evergreen foliage in warmer zones
- Disease resistant for easy care
- Low maintenance required
What customers say
Customers consistently praise the Scarlet Flame Creeping Phlox for its exceptional quality and reliability. The plant's true scarlet color offers immediate visual impact upon blooming. A key theme is its ease of establishment; plants arrive healthy and quickly spread, creating a dense, vibrant groundcover. Despite initial small size, rapid growth and dependable performance make this phlox a highly recommended choice for reliable spring color and low maintenance gardening. Its consistent performance and stunning hue are frequently highlighted, ensuring a beautiful and effortless addition to any garden.
Know before you buy
This is a fast-growing perennial that will establish itself quickly in sunny spots. While growth rates depend on your local climate and soil conditions, you can expect it to reach its mature width of two feet relatively efficiently once settled.
In warmer climates, the needle-like foliage remains evergreen, providing year-round color. In colder regions, the foliage may die back or turn brown during the winter months, but it will return in the spring.
Yes, this Phlox is highly resistant to both deer and rabbits. It is an excellent choice for gardens where wildlife pressure is a concern, as they typically avoid the foliage.
To keep the plant looking its best, give it a light trim after the flowering period ends. This simple step encourages fresh, healthy summer foliage and helps maintain a dense, tidy habit.
Absolutely. Its dense, matted growth habit makes it an ideal candidate for slopes, where it helps prevent erosion, as well as for filling in gaps within rock gardens.
Yes, for the most vibrant pinkish-red blooms and the best overall growth, this plant requires a location with full sun. It may become leggy or produce fewer flowers if planted in partial shade.
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Ready to buy?
$23