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Luminary® 'Backlight' Tall Garden Phlox Phlox paniculata

Flower Season
  • Summer
Mature Size
2'6" 2' 76cm 61cm
Height: 2'4" - 2'6"
Spread: 20" - 2'
Height: 71cm - 76cm
Spread: 51cm - 61cm
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  • Details

    28 - 30 Inches
    20 - 24 Inches
    20 - 24 Inches
    71cm - 76cm
    51cm - 61cm
    51cm - 61cm

    Features

    Pure white flowers produce well-defined panicles on top of dark green leaves. Great for disease resistance even in hot, humid conditions. Try with other white-flowering plants to create a moonlight garden.

    Award Winner
    Fragrant Flower
    Disease Resistant
    Attracts: 
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Hummingbirds
    Native to North America

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Perennial
    Height Category: 
    Tall
    Garden Height: 
    28 - 30 Inches 71cm - 76cm
    Spacing: 
    20 - 24 Inches 51cm - 61cm
    Spread: 
    20 - 24 Inches 51cm - 61cm
    Flower Colors: 
    White
    Flower Shade: 
    Pure white
    Foliage Colors: 
    Green
    Foliage Shade: 
    Green
    Habit: 
    Upright
    Container Role: 
    Thriller

    Plant Needs

    Light Requirement: 
    Part Sun to Sun

    The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).

    Maintenance Category: 
    Easy
    Bloom Time: 
    Summer through Fall
    Hardiness Zones: 
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
    Water Category: 
    Average
    Soil Fertility Requirement: 
    Average Soil
    Soil Fertility Requirement: 
    Fertile Soil
    Soil PH Category: 
    Acidic Soil
    Soil PH Category: 
    Neutral Soil
    Uses: 
    Border Plant
    Uses: 
    Container
    Uses: 
    Cut Flower
    Uses: 
    Landscape
    Uses: 
    Mass Planting
    Maintenance Notes: 

    Grows best in consistently moist, well-drained soil and full sun. Thrives with regular fertilization. Provide good air circulation.

    Luminary® 'Backlight' Phlox paniculata USPP 34,506, Can PBRAF
  • 4 Reviews

    5
    2
    4
    3
    1
    2
    1
    1
    Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.
    • These create more work than they're worth. At the end of the seasons, their tall thick stems (like my pinky finger in diameter) are almost bamboo like. It makes for a very ugly landscape seeing all these brown dried out stems all winter long. They won't fall down until you either snap them off at the ground one by one, or, or dig up the plant (for which you need a shovel because they root very strongly.). I tried cutting the dead stalks down with pruning sheers, but they are like cutting small tree saplings. Worse? They spread like wildfire - seeding themselves everywhere the wind can scatter them. And they make a LOT of seeds. The living plants do get powdery mildew if you aren't careful about thinning them out for air circulation. However, thinning them is a major task after the first year - because - they reseed themselves super densely. They also revert to a semi-lilac color in their self-seeded offspring, rather than the white of the original plant. They're a hot mess and I wish they were never introduced to this property.

      Bunny
      , 27 weeks ago
    • I planted three of these Moonlight Phlox last year (2022). I had rented my small home for ten years and no care was given to the yard. Browsing the Garden Outlet, I saw these beautiful flowers and bought three. They were beautiful and lasted all season. This Year (2023) they came back over twice the size! I have had absolutely no problems with them. I have had so many inquiries on what they are and how nice they look. This year I did not see any at the garden store unless they sold out early. I am going to divide and relocate them throughout my ever-changing landscaping. Also sharing some with my neighbor. Again, I cannot tell you how many people have noticed and asked about them !!

      Susan
      , Ohio
      , United States
      , 1 year ago
    • I planted three of these phlox in early spring of 2022. Within a month some leaves were turning yellow and browning on the lower half. I spoke to a Proven Winners specialist who assured me that the plant would be fine. I treated them with copper fungicide and neem oil at different times. With a lot of work, they rebounded about 85%. I was very pleased to see all three coming back vigorously this year in early spring, but that was short-lived. The lower leaves up to a third of one plant turned yellow and brown. I believe there are spider mites and possibly disease at this point, but it isn't powdery mildew. I really was excited when the Luminary Blacklight phlox were available however, even though I am an experienced gardener in zone 6, Ohio, they are a lot of work.

      Susie Wittenauer
      , Ohio
      , United States
      , 1 year ago
    • These really impressed me! I planted these in May and they flowered June-August again and again which I did not expect, especially during their first season. I'm looking forward to seeing how these fill in and perform in the coming growing seasons.

      Kate
      , Georgia
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
  • 1 Award

    Award Year Award Plant Trial
    2022 Top Performer Michigan State University
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