Phlox paniculata Blue Flame

Phlox paniculata 'Blue Flame' is part of a series of phlox with very branched and compact vegetation, resistant to mildew, producing particularly colourful and fragrant flowers. This recent creation, full of freshness and spontaneity, is also one of the most compact in the 'Flame' series. It produces an abundance of blue-violet buds that open into flowers with a washed with light ultramarine blue with a midnight blue centre.  The tubular flowers are grouped in large pyramidal panicles that bloom all summer in the sun, in damp and fertile soil. It is an easy perennial to grow, particularly suitable for borders or for the forefront of flower beds. It is also perfect for garden pots and containers.

Phlox paniculata 'Blue Flame' belongs to the family of Polemoniaceae. It is one of the latest additions to the excellent 'Flame' series, developed by Bartel's Breeding in the Netherlands. It is a perennial plant with a woody stump forming a dense tuft of leafy stems not exceeding 40 cm (16in) in height and 30-35 cm (12-14in) in width. The stems, rigid and strong, are covered with dark but vivid green leaves, measuring 12 cm (5in) in length. The flowering begins in mid-July, at the height of summer, and continues until September, provided that faded flowers are removed. The small flowers have a tubular corolla, light blue in colour, with a dark throat that is very visible. They are grouped at the end of the stems in erect, dense, and pyramidal panicles, measuring 15 cm (6in) in length, wonderfully fragrant, with the weight barely bending the short stems. The flowering is melliferous and nectariferous.

Phlox paniculata are perennial plants accustomed to cottage gardens, as their legendary simplicity and generosity are almost unmatched in perennial beds. The varieties in the Flame series add disease resistance, fragrance, and excellent performance in beds to all these qualities. Phlox paniculata 'Blue Flame' can be combined with dwarf asters, pink or lemon yellow daylilies, intense blue perennial flax, or white flowers of miniature roses with which it forms a very cheerful grouping. Phlox paniculata 'Blue Flame' is a top-notch perennial to brighten up flowering pots that will decorate balconies and patios.