''Phlox divaricata'', the wild blue phlox, woodland phlox, or wild sweet william, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Polemoniaceae,

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to forests and fields in eastern North America.

Etymology

The

species name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''divaricata'' means "with a spreading and straggling habit".

Description

Wild blue phlox is a semi-

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

growing tall with opposite, unstalked, hairy leaves in length and ovate-lanceolate in shape. Flowers appear in late spring and early summer. They are pleasantly fragrant and in diameter, with five

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s fused at the base into a thin tube. The petals are a variety of

pastel colors Pastels or pastel colors belong to a pale family of colors, which, when described in the HSV color space, have high value and low saturation. They are named after an artistic medium made from pigment and solid binding agents, similar to cr ...

: blue-lavender, light purple, pink, or white. Flowers bloom March to May. It grows in moist, deciduous woods and bluffs. There are two subspecies: ssp. ''divaricata'', with petals notched at the tip, and ssp. ''laphamii'', without a notch.

Ecology

The flowers produce nectar at the base of the long, narrow corolla tube, and pollen near the end of the corolla tube. Only butterflies, moths, skippers, and long-tongued bees have long enough tongues to drink the nectar. Short-tongued bees and

flower flies Hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while ...

are unable to reach the nectar, but may gather or feed on pollen. Phlox is self-incompatible, so it requires

cross-pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, birds, ...

to produce seed. Butterflies are the most effective pollinators. As they insert their

proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elong ...

into the flower to drink nectar, it contacts the anthers and picks up pollen. As they coil the proboscis before moving to the next flower, most of the pollen falls off, but some remains to be transferred to the stigma of the next flower that they drink nectar from.

Cultivation

Cultivated varieties have various colours, including blue ('Blue Moon'), lavender ('Clouds of Perfume') and white ('Fuller's White', 'White Perfume'). ''Phlox divaricata'' and the lavender-flowered cultivar 'Chattahoochee' have both won the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

Gallery

Phlox Kaldari 02.jpg, Flowers of ''P. divaricata'' ssp. ''divaricata'', with notched ends to the petals Phlox divaricata - Wild Blue Phlox 2.jpg, A blue form of ''P. divaricata'' ssp. ''divaricata'' Phlox divaricata, 2015-05-06, Bird Park, 03.jpg, Flowers of ''P. divaricata'' ssp. ''laphamii'', without notches on the end of the petals File:Phlox divaricata 1.jpg, Large clump of ''P. divaricata'' ssp. ''laphamii'' File:PDivericataFlaHabitat.JPG, Habitat in Florida File:Blue_Phlox.jpg, Kansas, Butler County, April

References

External links

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Connecticut Botanical SocietyKansas Wildflowers and GrassesMissouri Botanical GardenIPNI Listing
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5222804 divaricata Perennial plants Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Flora of the North-Central United States Flora of the Northeastern United States Flora of the South-Central United States Flora of the Southeastern United States