Phlox (sk. paniculata) 'ROBERTA'

I love seeing that even so-called old-fashioned plants such as perennial phlox still attract breeders’ attention and they invest time and energy in crossbreeding and selecting new, hardier, healthier, and more beautiful varieties. Their popularity is proved by the fact that they occupy 3 large pages in the RHS Encyclopedia of Plants (not many plants can boast that).

Roberta is a perennial phlox variety bred by Peter Geerlings from the Netherlands in 2012. It makes almost rounded panicles composed of fragrant, rich purple pink flowers decorated with a pale pinkish white brush stroke on each petal near the centre. Flowers attract butterflies and come out from July until September. Leaves are lance-shaped, dark green, and stems reach 50-60 cm tall.

Growing phlox is easy. It likes almost any garden soil, fertile or poor, but with enough nutrients the flowering will be heavier, and the plant will not suffer common phlox diseases. They are long-lived plants that will stay in your garden until you dig them out. Sunny location is preferred but will flower in partial shade, too. Hardy to about -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 12-02-2020