Phlox subulata
Phlox subulata is a species of flowering plant in the family Polemoniaceae, native to eastern and central USA, and widely cultivated. Growing to about 13 cm high at most and covering a wide area, it is an evergreen perennial forming mats or cushions of hairy, linear leaves. The small, five-petaled flowers bloom in rose, mauve, blue, white, or pink in late spring to early summer.
The Latin specific epithet subulata means awl- or needle-shaped.
The odor given off by the plants is mistaken for that of marijuana.
The plant is cultivated as a front-of-border or groundcover plant. It requires full sun and well-drained soil. It is very hardy, tolerating temperatures down to, and is suitable for hardiness zones USDA 3 to 9.
The cultivar 'McDaniel's Cushion', with bright pink flowers, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
The Native American Mahuna peoples use the plant internally for rheumatism.
