John Fanick Phlox | Texas Superstar, southern summer bloomer | Texas Gulf Coast Zone 9b

In the south, phlox is a winter plant as it typically cannot endure the heat and humidity of our summers. But John Fanick Phlox is different, it is a heat tolerant and summer performer here in the south. In fact, it was discovered by Greg Grant in San Antonio growing in a patch of St. Augustine grass. I have mine planted where it will get late afternoon shade in the summer. The pollinators love this bloom and especially the Swallowtail butterflies. I also love John Fanick's beautiful scent. And being designated a Texas Superstar, you know it has to perform! Believe it or not, this wonderful phlox is rated for zones 3a - 9b. The article I reference in the video is here:
www.plantanswers.com/Articles...
I hope you have time to read it! 😊

[@LoriArndt-sf7qo]

I’ve had this Phlox in my garden for about 20 years. I live in North Texas and have this all over my yard in large drifts. My neighbors and family members also have it all over their yards in large patches (from my garden). It’s a great grower and a great plant.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

That is so wonderful to know! Thank you so much for sharing! 😍😊

[@marionnixon817]

They are amazing plants! I’m in the Dallas area and these have done extremely well for the last 3 years I’ve had them. Mine get full sun all day long and just keep on going! They faithfully come back every spring and produce these gorgeous flowers! Highly recommend!

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thank you for your comment! I am glad that they are performing in your DFW area garden too ... as Y'all are a little less humid than we are in the Houston area. It is fun to have a phlox that performs for us! 😍

[@wesleyhackney]

Very nice plant see why you enjoy it so much

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Those big blooms are definitely fun to look at! 🤩

[@GrandmaSandy]

For another great garden tour, my dear friend, always love a good garden tour of the beautiful home and a beautiful yard

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thanks for your kind comment! I hope you have a great day! 😊

[@JudyLackey-gr1hf]

I had this phlox for many of years. Smells so good. The deer ate it down. Easy to propagate though.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thank you for sharing! It will come back after being eaten down by the deer though, right?

[@70vnv]

I live in Northwest Houston and my John Fanick’s phlox has become a large patch over the years. I’ve shared some with my sisters and anybody who’s interested. In the past it has suffered from leaf hopper infestation but for the past 2 seasons, it has been pest free. Funny thing, I’ve never noticed its fragrance! Also, butterflies generally stay away from the phlox but that’s probably because they find other nectar plants more easily in my garden. I’ve only seen those beautiful hummingbird moths feeding off the nectar.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I have to bend down to pick up their scent as it isn't strong. But once I realized they have a pretty scent, I now bend down to smell them. 😊 I have porterweed next to the John Fanick Phlox and butterflies and hummingbirds prefer the porterweed first, but will go to the phlox at times during the day. When you have a lot of variety of pollinator blooms, it is fun to observe what their preferences are!

[@tammiedunbar6166]

I've seen a few butterflies flying around but not really feeding on my plants. My chaste tree/ shrubs are loaded with bees and other pollinators. I'm hoping to collect a red blooming Porter Weed I found a purple blooming plant. I recognized it instantly because of your videos. Thank you for sharing your garden with us. I have a perennial hibiscus garden that is getting ready to bloom soon. My nemesis the Japanese beetles have emerged and I'm knocking them in buckets of water and feeding them to my laying hens for a snack!!

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thank you for your comment! And I love you feeding the Japanese beetles to your laying hens. 👍

[@melaniemohler3634]

John Fanick Phlox has been in my zone 9a yard just north of Houston for over 15 years. It never has had powdery mildew. Occasionally, I will find scale on the underside of the foliage. Deer love to munch on it, pruning it bushier. In milder winters, lower foliage stays green. It is one of my favorite perennials! It was my first Greg Grant plant. I will plant anything he has introduced. Greg worked at Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens years ago. I met him when I regularly volunteered in the perennial tiers.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thank you so much for your comment! I appreciate the information you shared. It is neat you met Greg Grant. 😊 Do you regularly divide it?

[@marleneegan-hm7lr]

What else has he introduced?

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

@marleneegan-hm7lr I'm sure this isn't a complete list, but Almost Eden has a web page dedicated to his plant introductions: www.almostedenplants.com/shopping/products/c142-greg-grant-introductions/

[@jennifergreene8891]

@@ButterfliesNBirds thank you for sharing this 😊

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Absolutely! 👍😊

[@HoustonKeith72]

Thank you for the recommendation! I’ve never had phlox. What beautiful blooms!

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I agree! I think they are so pretty! 😍

[@jennifergreene8891]

Hello my neighbor! Thank you for sharing this. The Phlox is beautiful 😍 Another one to add to my list 😂 All that is 1 plant? WOW! I did not know the lizards ate large butterflies 😢 Thank you for sharing that article and thank you for sharing this beautiful video!

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Hello neighbor - you're welcome! And thank you for taking the time to comment! 😊

[@GlendasTexasGarden]

So beautiful

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Thank you so much! (I think so too). 😊

[@marleneegan-hm7lr]

Thank you for making this video! I had no idea there was a panicle phlox for our area and does well in clay! , these looks like an English cottage garden plant to me, I can’t wait to get it.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

I know, right?! If you read the comments by people who have had it in their yards for many years, they just love it! 😊

[@tammiedunbar6166]

I have the same phlox also this the second year that it's blooming. I have only one bloom as of today. There are others but they haven't bloomed yet.😊 And there are other plants from the first plant and now there is a patch.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

There are a few comments from people who have had this in their yards for many years. This phlox makes nice drifts in their yards - I LOVE that! Thank you for sharing. 😊

[@slr4172]

It's so hard to find a pollinator plant that blooms in our triple digit Houston heat so I will check local nurseries for it. Thank you for sharing.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Our summers are definitely brutal and knowing what plants can grow in our conditions helps! I have not seen this plant year round. Spring time is when I typically see it.

[@goldengirl65]

I can't find that one here online but I have other mauve and pink phlox that are also lovely. Yours is very pretty though. Are you going to do a video when you divide it?

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

The unusual thing for us is we are generally too hot and humid to grow phlox in the summer, so it is great that we have a variety that does well here. 😊 It sounds like you have more choices than we do. 😊

[@goldengirl65]

We might have more choice with this plant. I will have to do a further search on the actual family name and see if I get more come up than I'm aware of as I only did a quick search yesterday for this variety. Atleast your one choice is gorgeous and performs exceptionally well for you. When I was looking up salvias and other plants on plant growers Australia they show the most gorgeous watermelon colour phlox. Not sure now if it's a taller or lower growing but the colour is stunning. Asked the local store if they could get me one but plant growers aust said they are only available at a certain time and only a small number available. I'm hoping they can get me one when they are available. I've never seen watermelon colour ones before.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

Oh wow ... a watermelon color would be gorgeous!!! 😍 (In more northern areas of the U.S. they have a lot more choice with different phloxes.)

[@user-tv3tq9uu6z]

Do you know if this phlox will come back after a zone 7. We got down to around 15 degrees last winter in NC

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

It should come back because it is rated down to a zone 3. You shouldn't have any problems with it not returning in a zone 7. It is interesting it can take the cold in winter and also our heat and humidity during the growing season.

[@larryearlgosnell]

Butterflies are great but before they are butterflies, they are caterpillars, and they will absolutely destroy certain plants in your garden. On one hand, they can be beautiful in your garden, on the other hand, they can be very destructive.

[@ButterfliesNBirds]

You are so right. Almost all of my host plants I grow specifically for caterpillars so I can get the butterflies. I also try to have a large number of the host plant so you cannot tell when the caterpillars eat the foliage. But, I did get a plant this year for the foliage and blooms (for hummingbirds) and I didn't think about caterpillars on it. Well, the Brazillian Skipper butterfly lays it's eggs on Canna lilies. The butterfly is drab looking and the caterpillars are "doing their thing" on the leaves. So, for that plant I hadn't intended on hosting butterflies, but I got them anyway. 😂 I don't know if I will continue growing cannas yet.