Phlox divaricata, Blue Moon, Woodland Phlox

Water this easy-going plant around once a week or slightly more as it first gets established. Then, in years to follow, water less regularly. This plant prefers moist soil with a neutral pH and excellent drainage, but it will not keep you to a hard-and-fast schedule for watering. If there are small periods of drought, it can handle itself well. Just be sure to plant it in a shady spot or a place with dappled sunlight. Shear spent blooms, but do not take time on pruning.

Well-suited to the woodland garden or wildflower patch, this native cultivar is fragrant and attractive. In spring, it blooms with blue flowers that are hard to find, especially in shade-tolerant plants. The blue of the nicely sized petals (fairly large for a Phlox) can range from a pale blue to a violet-blue... several different shades, all pretty. Flowers appear on slightly sticky, hairy stems. Foliage is rather subdued. Not generally noticed by deer, this plant does very well on its own. It is not an invasive plant, so it can be enjoyed in clumps and mounds, here and there, around wooded areas with dappled light.