Garden phlox is a staple of many perennial gardens and this one is a great cultivar to grow. Like most phlox in the Volcano series it is shorter, denser, bears more flowers over a longer times, and is more mildew resistant than most other varieties or cultivars. Because the stems are sturdy you don’t have to stake them, and due to increased mildew resistance the plants are more attractive when grown in hot humid areas like the South. ‘Ruby’ does well in beds, borders, and containers where its flowers will add color and fragrance over a long bloom time.
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Bloom: Clusters of burgundy red flowers are produced from summer into fall
Foliage: Leaves are 2-5”, lanceolate, and opposite.
Size: 16-40” H x 24” W
Light: Full sun (partial shade in hot areas)
Soil: Fertile, moist, well-drained
Fertilizer: Apply balanced slow release fertilizer in spring
Hardiness: Zone 4-9
Care: Cut back by a third after first flush of flowers; divide every 3-5 years in early spring or when center begins to die out
Pests and Diseases: Mildew resistant but not impervious; mites, thrips.
Propagation: Division in spring; stem cuttings
Companion plants: Salvia, daylilies (Hemerocallis), Russian sage (Pervoskia atriplicifolia), globe thistle (Echinops ritro), ornamental grasses.
