Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Eye Candy Creeping Phlox: A Pale Pink Carpet Before Lavender Blooms
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Eye Candy creeping phlox covers itself so completely in spring that the foliage disappears. Each flat, five-petaled flower is light lilac pink with a sharply defined dark wine-purple eye, and from a few steps away the plant looks like a pale pink cushion dotted with dark centers.
It stays low and tidy at 4 to 6 inches tall and about 18 inches wide, with bright green, needle-like leaves. And it likes the same sun and drainage as lavender, which makes it a natural front-row partner.
Eye Candy at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Phlox subulata 'Eye Candy' |
| Flowers | Light lilac pink with a dark wine-purple eye, about ¾ inch |
| Bloom | Starts late April, peaks early May, for about five weeks |
| Size | 4 to 6 inches tall, 18 to 20 inches wide |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 2 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Foliage | Bright green, needle-like, stays green or bronzes in winter |
| Deer | Moderately resistant |
Spring color for a lavender bed
A lavender bed in April and early May is mostly silver mounds waiting for summer. Eye Candy fills that gap. It blooms weeks before the lavender does, so a pink ribbon along the bed edge gives you a first act while the lavender is still waking up. Its soft lilac tone even previews the color to come.
After bloom, the fine green mat makes a clean, low edge that will not crowd lavender crowns or block their airflow. Plant it along the outer rim or spilling over a low wall in front of the lavender, and map the spacing in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Soil: average and well-drained. It tolerates dry spells but dislikes soggy ground.
- Water: water to establish, then only occasionally in very hot, dry stretches so the mat does not brown.
- Shearing: cut back by about a third after bloom for a dense, tidy mat.
- Air flow: avoid overhead watering and crowding, which can brown or rot the center.
- Winter: drainage matters more than mulch. Do not pile leaves or mulch on the mat, and trim out winter-browned patches in spring.
Other places it shines
Eye Candy is vigorous and healthy while still refined, so it works in rock gardens, between stepping stones, along paths and on slopes where it helps hold soil. In a container, it trails nicely over the edge. Up close, the flowers have a faint, sweet scent, and butterflies and bees visit them in spring.
About the plug tray
Eye Candy is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray, which is ideal for edging a long bed, covering a slope or growing on your own plants. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Does creeping phlox stay green in winter?
Yes, the needle-like foliage stays green or turns bronze over winter in Michigan, then freshens up in spring.
How fast does it spread?
It forms a mat about 18 to 20 inches wide. Plants set a little closer will knit together into a continuous edge.
Can I cut the flowers?
Not really. The stems are too short for a vase. Enjoy it as a garden carpet.
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