Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Creeping Phlox bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Creeping Phlox, Moss Phlox, Moss Pink, Mountain Phlox (Phlox subulata).

More about creeping phlox

About Creeping Phlox

Phlox subulata · also called Creeping Phlox, Moss Phlox · flowering

Phlox subulata is a low, mat-forming evergreen perennial native to rocky outcrops and open slopes of eastern North America. In mid-spring it produces a vivid carpet of pink, purple, white, or bicolour flowers almost completely hiding the needle-like foliage. An excellent groundcover for slopes, rock gardens, and wall tops; drought-tolerant once established.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Open, leggy growth after flowering: Plants can become open and woody-centred over time. Shear lightly by one-third immediately after flowering to encourage dense new growth and maintain a tidy mat. This also prevents the centre from dying out.

The reasons creeping phlox isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming creeping phlox traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding creeping phlox a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get creeping phlox to flower

Maximise sun. Give creeping phlox the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for creeping phlox and get the feeding right with the creeping phlox fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Creeping Phlox flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full creeping phlox care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Creeping Phlox blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my creeping phlox flower?

Creeping Phlox blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make creeping phlox bloom?

Give creeping phlox the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does creeping phlox normally bloom?