Phlox ‘Jeana’
Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’
Common Name: Summer Phlox (also Garden
Phlox and Tall Garden Phlox)
Zones: 4-8
Size: Height 2-4 ft.; spread 1.5-3 ft.
Bloom period & color: Mid-July into Sept.; soft
magenta pink
Growing conditions: Sun to part shade; humus-
rich, consistently moist, well-drained soil
Summer phlox is one of my very favorite native perennials and has been a mainstay in my pollinator gardens for many years. Despite my best efforts to make it happy – good air circulation, thinning large clumps, rich soil, and adequate moisture – the leaves of most plants get powdery mildew, which in addition to being unsightly may eventually kill the plants. Over the years I’ve tried a few “disease resistant” cultivars, but they’ve been mostly disappointing.
And then along came ‘Jeana’! I got my first plant in 2019 and have since added several more. In addition to being a beautiful, fragrant butterfly magnet, ‘Jeana’ has excellent resistance to powdery mildew. It was discovered growing in a patch of otherwise mildewed phlox along a river near Nashville, Tennessee, and was named for its discoverer, Jeana Prewitt. It was the best-performing plant in Mt. Cuba’s 2015-2017 trial of hundreds of phlox species and cultivars. Although individual flowers are quite small, they attracted more butterflies than any other phlox in the trial. ‘Jeana’ is the Perennial Plant Association’s 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year.
Garden companions: ‘Jeana’ blooms over a long period and combines beautifully with many native pollinator plants that share the same growing conditions. Late July and early August companions include flat-topped aster (A. umbellatus) with clusters of small white flowers and pink and white coneflowers (Echinacea spp.). Later flowering natives include blue lobelia (L. siphilitica), Joe pye weed (Eupatorium spp.), black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.), goldenrods (Solidago spp.) and early blooming fall asters such as A. cordifolius. The dark foliage of white snakeroot ‘Chocolate’ (Ageratina altissima) provides an attractive contrast. Non-native pink flowering ornamental onions (Allium spp.) are also pretty companions.
Other cultivars: Additional good performers from Mt. Cuba’s trials are ‘Glamour Girl’, ‘Delta Snow’, ‘Lavelle’, ‘Robert Poore’, ‘David’, ‘Coral Crème Drop’ and ‘Shortwood’.
Maintenance, pests: Like other summer phlox cultivars, stems of Jeana can be cut back in early June (Chelsea chop) so plants will be bushier and will bloom later. Deadheading (removing spent blossoms) will encourage reblooming. A yearly application of compost will keep plants growing well, and a mulch of chopped leaves will help retain soil moisture. Deer love summer phlox, and ‘Jeana’ is no exception, so be prepared to spray.
Propagation: Clumps can be divided in early spring. I haven’t noticed any ‘Jeana’ seedlings in my garden, but several internet sources say it will come back true from seed, and a couple say it won’t.
Native habitat: The native species, Phlox paniculata, grows in moist, rich open woods and thickets from New York west to Iowa and Kansas, south to Arkansas, into northern Mississippi and east to Georgia. It’s found in all areas of Virginia except for a few scattered counties.
Photo courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden
Centennial Garden Club
Nancy Arrington
September 14, 2023
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