Phlox paniculata - White

Phlox paniculata is native in the eastern third of the United States. In the 1700s, Europeans settling in that area found these plants growing wild in damp meadows, along forest edges, and in the rich soils of flood plains, and saw their potential as garden plants. Their showy, fragrant flowers quickly became a hit throughout Europe and, by the mid-1800s, were commonly available in the nursery trade. By the 1950s, hundreds of varieties were available, thanks to breeding programs in England, Russia, Germany and Holland. As a result, many varieties were planted throughout Europe and North America, but in the intervening years, many of these have disappeared from the commercial trade.