Wild Sweet William

Description:  Wild Sweet William is a clump-forming, rhizomatous perennial with large flower clusters, up to 8 in. across, densely packed with sweetly-aromatic, tubular, pinkish-purple flowers in late spring to early fall. Blooming for about 4-8 weeks, the showy blossoms attract butterflies, moths and hummingbirds. Songbirds will eat the seeds. The flowers are borne atop strong, upright, red-spotted stems clad with leathery, finely-toothed, lance-shaped, dark green leaves, 5 in. long. Noted for its excellent resistance to powdery mildew and root rot, Wild Sweet William is a fine choice for the perennial border, cottage garden, wildflower meadow or native plant garden. Plant in drifts for great impact and make sure you have enough for cutting. This plant is often planted together with Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida or Rudbeckia hirta) in honor of John Gray's poem, "Sweet William's Farewell to Black-eyed Susan". For more information see: plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/phlox-maculata

Care and Growing Tips:  Grows up to 2-3 ft. tall and 1-2 ft. wide. It will slowly spread by rhizomes and self-seeding to form large colonies. It performs best in moist well-drained soils but is intolerant of drought. Provide a summer mulch to keep the root zones cool. This plant is an excellent choice for cottage gardens, prairies , meadows, and native plant gardens. Keep an eye out for spider mites. Provide good air circulation to prevent powdery mildew issues. Avoid overhead watering. Deer resistant. Deadhead to preserve a neat appearance and promote new blooms.