Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Phlox diffusa is a species of phlox known by the common name spreading phlox. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to the southwestern United States to the Dakotas, where it grows in many types of habitat, including rocky, high elevation mountain slopes. It is a very compact mat-forming perennial herb growing in cushions or patches of short, decumbent stems. The linear, lance-shaped, or needle-like leaves are no more than 1.5 centimeters long and are oppositely arranged in bundles on the short stems. The flower cluster is a solitary tubular flower around a centimeter long. It has a flat white or pale pink or blue corolla with five lobes each just under a centimeter in length.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

6 in Tall

Form

Mounding

Growth rate

Slow

Calscape icon
Color

Purple, White

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Full Sun

Soil description

Prefers sandy or loamy soils. Does not grow well in clay soils.

Sunset Zones

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Site type

Dry open places

Plant communities

Alpine Fell-Fields, Douglas-Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest, Red Fir Forest, Subalpine Forest, Yellow Pine Forest

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 7 likely

Confirmed Likely

Euxoa extranea

Euxoa infausta

Corn Earworm Moth

Helicoverpa zea

Spotted Straw Sun Moth

Heliothis phloxiphaga