Phlox paniculata 'Barthirtythree' PURPLE EYE FLAME perennial phlox (panicle type)

Phlox

The genus Phlox was described by Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) in 1753 and placed in the family Polemoniaceae, one of the most botanically diverse North American families. Kew lists 69 accepted species, most of them originating from a wide range of North American habitats – from moist woodlands and river floodplains to prairies, rocky outcrops and alpine tundra. The name comes from the Greek phlox, meaning “flame”, which aptly captures the impression their colours made on early botanists. By the 18th century the genus had already attracted the interest of European growers, as it brought into gardens something the flora of the time lacked: vivid colours, long flowering periods and fragrance. Several historical synonyms appeared in taxonomy, such as Lychnidea Hill (1756) or Armeria Kuntze (1891), reflecting attempts by various authors to capture the morphological variability of the genus. The deepest scientific insight into its evolution and diversity was provided by the American botanist Verne Grant (1917–2004), whose 1959 monograph on Phlox remains a cornerstone of modern understanding. The very first Phlox seeds reached Europe from Virginia in the first third of the 18th century, arriving in England.

Phlox paniculata, the perennial phlox, described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, originates from the eastern United States, where it grows along meadow edges, woodland margins and stream banks. It reached Europe as early as around 1732, well before its formal description. At that time North America was being systematically explored by John Bartram (1699–1777) and his son William Bartram (1739–1823), who supplied European gardens with seeds and plants; their collections were likely responsible for the spread of phloxes in England and France. In Czechia they appeared at the end of the 19th century, and by around 1900 they were among the most widely grown perennials – nurseries offered dozens of cultivars and large gardens planted them in groups visible from afar. Their popularity was pan‑European, especially in England, still a perennial paradise today, where the Royal Horticultural Society devoted three full A4 pages to phloxes in its encyclopaedia. Breeding developed from the 19th century onwards, first in England and France, later in Germany, where Georg Arends (1863–1952) created the first hybrids of P. paniculata × P. divaricata. Modern breeding focuses on more compact growth, resistance to powdery mildew and clean, contemporary colours.