Looking quite impressive after our recent night at 15 degrees F, is the Eastern US native Phlox amoena. The common name, hairy phlox’, is given because of the obviouslyr hairy stems. Native from Kentucky south to Florida, it can be found in dry, open woodlands, usually in sandy, well-drained soils. The typical flowering season is May and June, so we’re not sure exactly why our garden specimen decided to flower in winter. While we love this species, we have not found this to be long-lived, so it’s best to divide it in the garden ever 2-3 years. The specific epithet “amoena” comes from the Latin root, amoenus, which means visually pleasing. Hardiness Zone 6a-9b, at least.
Phlox amoena