Phlox Beside The Road
by D Hackett
Title
Phlox Beside The Road
Artist
D Hackett
Medium
Photograph - Digital
Description
Phlox Beside The Road by D Hackett
Colorful Phlox growing by the roadside here in rural Florida
Roadside phlox is an annual that is not native to Florida, but widely planted on roadsides throughout the northern half of the state. Phlox in bloom are a sight to behold, with masses of small, star-shaped, colorful flowers blanketing the roadsides. Because it is an annual and, like all members of this genus, its seeds "explode" when the seed capsules ripen and next year's phlox plants end up everywhere in the landscape except where they started.
Flowers come in a wide range of colors - from white to deep crimson, but most are a shade of pink, often with a contrasting center. All phlox are good nectar sources for butterflies and this species is no exception. Flowering occurs over a period of months, the plants soon wither and die by fall.
Roadside phlox, however, is a superior choice for roadsides as it rapidly colonizes open areas and thrives in the sunny, often-dry conditions found on most roadways. Because of this, it is widely seeded by state highway staff involved with Florida's roadside beautification projects. It can't be missed if you travel anywhere in north Florida during April-June.
Featured in FAA Group -
Southern Beauty on 08/03/2014
Uploaded
June 16th, 2013
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