Phlox Subulata 'Pink'
Not sure how many you need? Use the groundcover calculator below.
Plants travel upright in enclosed trucks - not general couriers. Learn more
Enter your area to estimate how many plants you’ll need.
Tight = quicker coverage, fewer gaps
Creeping Phlox / Moss Phlox / Moss Pink / Alpine Phlox
Botanical Name: Phlox subulata 'Pink'
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Origin: Eastern North America
Plant Type: Evergreen groundcover perennial
Overview
A tough, sun-loving creeping phlox that carpets the ground with masses of pink flowers in late winter–spring—perfect for Adelaide and South Australian gardens. Forms a dense, evergreen mat of fine, needle-like foliage that suppresses weeds and softens edges year-round. Excellent for banks, rockeries and between pavers where drainage is sharp.
Key Features
- Mature Size: 10–15 cm H × 40–80 cm W (spreading mat)
- Growth Rate: 15-25 cm per year under good conditions
- Foliage: Fine, dark green, needle-like leaves; fresh bright-green new growth; can take on bronze tints in winter cold
-
Flowers: Profuse pink, starry blooms in dense clusters late winter–spring
- Seasonal Interest: Evergreen carpeting foliage all year with a spectacular pink bloom in late winter–spring; foliage adds texture in summer and winter
- Wildlife Value: Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies; Good for Pollinators
- Tolerance: Drought-Tolerant (once established), Heat-Tolerant, Frost Hardy, Wind-Tolerant, Coastal-Tolerant (needs drainage). Not suited to heavy clay unless raised/improved
- Planting Density: Mass planting: 6–10 plants per m² (30–40 cm apart). Edges/drifts: 2–3 plants per linear metre
- Pet Friendly: Generally regarded as non-toxic to pets
Where It Works Best
- Sunlight: Full sun (best flowering); light part shade tolerated
- Soil: Well-drained sandy/loam soils; raised beds/rockeries ideal; avoid waterlogging
- Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 10–14 days in summer; monthly in winter if dry
- Maintenance: Shear lightly after flowering to keep compact and encourage rebloom; mulch in spring; light, balanced feed in early spring
- Lifespan: 5-10+ years
- Climate Zones: Suited to temperate & Mediterranean SA gardens, including coastal Adelaide
- Soil pH: Slightly Acid to Neutral (tolerates mildly alkaline if drainage is sharp)
Landscape & Design Ideas
- Rockeries and retaining-wall spillovers for a spring cascade of pink
- Sunny path edges and between steppers where a low, weed-suppressing carpet is needed
- Bank and verge planting for erosion control and low-water colour
Why You Will Love It
This low, evergreen carpet explodes with pink flowers just when Adelaide gardens are waking up, then stays neat and weed-suppressing the rest of the year. It’s hardy, water-wise and incredibly easy—big colour, tiny maintenance.