Phlox Drummondii Grandiflora Starry Eyes

Phlox Drummondii Grandiflora Starry Eyes Seeds

(Annual Phlox — Drummond’s Phlox)

Phlox drummondii Grandiflora Starry Eyes is one of the most captivating selections within the annual phlox group, distinguished by its intricate bicolor star pattern and richly fragrant blooms. The intriguing star patterns on bicolored, clustered blooms make Starry Eyes a captivating addition to the cut-flower garden. Pollinators and hummingbirds are drawn to the quick-to-bloom, fragrant blossoms.

The history of this plant is rooted in one of the most celebrated botanical discoveries of the 19th century. Phlox drummondii is the only annual phlox species native to Texas. Named after Scottish botanist Thomas Drummond, who collected it in Texas in 1833, it produces clusters of fragrant flowers in red, pink, purple, white, and bicolor forms. The annual lifecycle means it germinates in cool conditions, and puts on a concentrated, colorful bloom display in one season. Named after Drummond for collecting and sending native seed to Great Britain in 1835, it is now considered a showy cultivated ornamental in gardens worldwide.

The Starry Eyes Grandiflora blend produces 1-inch flowers in clusters, in an array of colors including white with mauve or blue centers, buff with mauve centers, rose, purples, carmine, blues, and reds with contrasting-colored striations emanating from the center. This constellation of colors within a single planting creates an effect that is simultaneously harmonious and visually rich — no two plants express exactly the same pattern, giving the blend a natural, painterly quality that is difficult to achieve with solid-color varieties.

Annual phlox prefers sandy, well-drained soils and can be established in any well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. It has moderate to high drought tolerance and will reseed itself under good conditions. In the Kuwait growing season, Phlox drummondii Grandiflora Starry Eyes performs as a cool-season annual, ideally sown from September through October for flowering through the mild winter and spring months. The plant goes dormant or declines in the heat of summer and is not suited for year-round outdoor cultivation in the Gulf.

Variety Details

• Phlox drummondii belongs to the Polemoniaceae family, is widespread from Texas through the southeastern United States, and thrives in grasslands and open areas that prefer well-drained, sandy soils that are acidic to neutral.
• The flowers are clustered at the terminal end of the flowering stem. The leaves are soft and hairy and somewhat sticky from glandular hairs.
• The Grandiflora Starry Eyes selection represents the larger-flowered garden development of the species, with flowers significantly larger than the wild type and the distinctive star-patterned bicolor trait bred in for maximum ornamental effect.

Key Features

• Distinctive bicolor star-patterned flowers in a rich multi-color blend.
• Fragrant blooms attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
• Flowers in 6 to 7 weeks from sowing.
• Compact mounding habit reaching 30 to 45 cm.
• Excellent cut flower with good vase life.
• Deer resistant.
• Self-seeds under favorable conditions.
• Suitable for borders, containers, cut flower gardens, and pollinator plantings.
• Ideal for Gulf cool-season gardens from October through March.

Plant Information

• Family: Polemoniaceae.
• Botanical name: Phlox drummondii.
• Type: Annual.
• Height: 30 to 45 cm.
• Spread: 25 to 35 cm.
• Flower: 1-inch (2.5 cm) bicolor star-patterned blooms in terminal clusters, in a blend of white, mauve, buff, rose, purple,carmine, blue, and red with contrasting striations.
• Fragrance: Sweetly scented.
• Exposure: Full sun to partial shade.
• Water: Moderate — allow soil to dry slightly between waterings.
• pH preference: 6.0 to 7.0.

Seed Germination

• Critical note: Phlox drummondii seeds require darkness to germinate. Unlike many annual flowers, covering the seeds and excluding light is essential for successful germination.Sow indoors 1.5 mm deep into moist, well-drained seed compost, excluding light.
• Germinate at 18 to 20 degrees Celsius for approximately 10 to 21 days.
• Ideal soil temperature for germination is 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. For mild climates, fall sowing directly outdoors is recommended. When starting indoors, sow in biodegradable pots as the roots are sensitive to disturbance during transplanting.
• Phlox seeds germinate in the dark at 12 to 18 degrees Celsius, typically within one to three weeks.
• Do not allow pots or trays to be exposed to light until germination is complete and seedlings have emerged.

Growing Tips

• Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 8 cm pots.
• Pinch out growing points when the plant reaches 8 cm tall to encourage a bushy, well-branched habit.
  Plant out with 25 cm spacing.
• Blooming may pause in intense summer heat, to renew in the cooler days of late summer and fall.
• In cooler areas, blooms continue through the summer.
• Deadhead spent flower clusters regularly to extend the blooming season and prevent premature seeding.
• The flowers should be deadheaded regularly to promote blooming and growth.
• Phlox likes well-draining soil and lots of sun. Late afternoon shade can be helpful during the hottest months.
• Mulch around plants to help retain moisture and discourage weeds.
• In Kuwait, where summer temperatures exceed 45 degrees Celsius, plants will not survive outdoors through the summer.
• Treat as a pure cool-season annual and plan successive sowings from September through November to extend the display period.
• For longest vase life, harvest flowers in the morning.
• Stems hold well in a vase, and the fragrance makes them particularly rewarding as cut flowers for indoor arrangements.

Gulf Planting Season

• Sow indoors in protected nursery conditions: September through October.
• Direct sow outdoors: October through November when soil temperatures have dropped below 20 degrees Celsius.
• Transplant seedlings to garden beds or containers: October through November.
• Expected flowering: December through March, depending on sowing time and conditions.
• Summer cultivation is not suitable. Phlox drummondii requires cool temperatures between 10 and 22 degrees Celsius for best growth and flowering.
• Plants will decline when daytime temperatures consistently exceed 30 degrees Celsius.

Garden and Floral Uses

• Grandiflora Starry Eyes Blend Phlox is ideal for borders, containers, and flower beds.
• The unique star-shaped blooms attract butterflies and pollinators and provide long-lasting color through the cool season.
• The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and are trumpet-shaped with a short tube and five star-shaped petals in terminal clusters.
• In the Gulf garden, Phlox drummondii Grandiflora Starry Eyes works beautifully as a front-of-border annual planted in drifts, as a cutting garden staple, or in large containers and mixed planters where its fragrance and intricate flower detail can be appreciated at close range.
• The multi-color blend combines naturally with white alyssum, lavender statice, or deep blue lobelia for a soft, layered cool-season display.