Spreading Phlox

Phlox diffusa of the Polemoniaceae (Phlox) family.

Spreading Phlox is a wildflower of middle to high elevations in the mountains and is typically found in open forests or open rocky slopes.

The low, circular woody mats of this wildflower sprawl widely and are densely covered by yellow-green, narrow, needle-like, but not spiny, leaves. In bloom, this is quite showy with blossoms of white to lavender to purple to pink. The blossoms are small but can be so numerous at times as to completely hide the leaves. It flowers from May through August.

Spreading Phlox is widespread through the Cascades from southern British Columbia to the Sierra Nevada of California. Eastward, it ranges across northern Washington, Idaho, and Montana to the west slopes of the Rocky Mts.