Phlox Paniculata 'Eva Cullum'

Garden Phlox Eva Cullum , Tall Phlox

Phlox paniculata ‘Eva Cullum’ is an upright herbaceous garden phlox grown for rounded clusters of fragrant, warm pink flowers with darker hot-pink to red-pink eyes in midsummer to early fall. It forms a sturdy clump of green lance-shaped foliage and is useful in perennial borders, cottage gardens, pollinator gardens, cutting gardens, mixed sunny beds, and mass plantings where summer color and fragrance are needed. Missouri Botanical Garden lists the flowers as pink with dark pink eyes and notes that they attract birds, hummingbirds, and butterflies.

Type: Herbaceous perennial
Mature Size: 2–3 ft. wide × 2–3 ft. tall; Mt. Cuba measured trial plants at about 48 in. tall × 34 in. wide
USDA Zones: 4a–8b; some nursery sources list 3a–9b
Form: Upright, clump-forming perennial
Light: Full sun to part shade; best flowering in full sun with steady moisture
Soil / Water: Fertile, humusy, well-drained soil; medium, even moisture preferred
Bloom Time / Length: July–September; often 4–6 weeks
Wildlife: Flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects

Features & Landscape Uses:
Warm pink flowers with a bold darker eye, large summer flower panicles, sturdy stems, and a good reputation for mildew resistance make ‘Eva Cullum’ useful for middle-to-back perennial borders, cottage gardens, pollinator beds, cutting gardens, and mixed plantings with coneflowers, bee balm, rudbeckia, sedum, ornamental grasses, and summer-blooming shrubs. Chicago Botanic Garden lists it as an upright perennial for borders with pink bloom from July into October and notes butterfly attraction and deer resistance.

Care:
Plant in rich, evenly moist, well-drained soil with good air circulation. Water at the base during dry spells to reduce stress and help limit powdery mildew. Deadhead spent flower clusters to keep plants tidy and encourage continued bloom. Cut stems back after frost or in early spring. Divide crowded clumps every few years in spring or fall. Mt. Cuba rated ‘Eva Cullum’ as fair for powdery mildew resistance in its trial, so airflow and consistent moisture are helpful. 

Plant type

Perennial

Height

2-3'

Width

2-3'

Hardiness zones

4–8

Sunlight

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Growth rate

Moderate

Bloom time

Early Fall, Late Summer

Flower color

Pink, Rose

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Green

Attracts

Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Soil

Humus rich, Moist well-drained

Landscape use

Accent Plant, Border, Mass Planting

Shape

Clump, Upright

Fragrant

Yes

Deer resistant

Yes

Drought tolerant

No