Flame flowers

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Flame flowers
Tall herbaceous phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Tall herbaceous phlox ( Phlox paniculata )

Systematics
Eudicotyledons
Nuclear eudicotyledons
Asterids
Order : Heather-like (Ericales)
Family : Blockwort family (Polemoniaceae)
Genre : Flame flowers
Scientific name
phlox
L.

Phlox , better known by its botanical name Phlox (from ancient Greek φλόξ phlox , German , flame ' ), is a genus within the family of polemoniaceae (Polemoniaceae). Varieties of some phlox species and hybrids are used as ornamental plants in temperate areas almost worldwide .

description

Capsule fruit and seeds of the tall herbaceous phlox ( Phlox paniculata )

Vegetative characteristics

The Phlox species are rarely annual, usually herbaceous plants of several years . The mostly opposite, more rarely alternate leaves are simple. Stipules are missing.

Generative characteristics

There are panicles or little head-like inflorescences formed. The hermaphrodite flowers are radially symmetrical with a double flower envelope . There are five sepals . The five white, blue, purple or red petals are fused together like a saucer. The five stamens are fused with the corolla at different heights. Three carpels have become a top permanent ovary grown; the placentation is central angled.

Fissure-column capsule fruits are formed.

Phlox hirsuta is city flower from Yreka in California
Phlox provides food to a brimstone butterfly
Phlox is a food source for pigeon tails

Systematics and distribution

The genus Phlox occurs mainly in North America , but also in North Asia to European Russia .

There are around 70 species in the genus Phlox (selection):

use

Varieties of some phlox species and hybrids are used as ornamental plants in temperate areas almost worldwide .

Examples (random selection) and botanical history

The genus contains both perennial ( persistent ) and annual herbaceous plants . Of the 27 North American phlox species, quite a few came to Europe in the 18th century, of which meanwhile - after a lot of breeding activity - many stand because of their beautiful, predominantly red, but also pink or white, orange, purple and blue, mostly in umbellate inflorescences Flowers (some even with a contrasting center) are cultivated as ornamental plants. There are now well over a thousand varieties.

Phlox was named Perennial of the Year 2006 .

Phlox ( Greek  φλόξ ) means "flame". Because of the bright red clusters of flowers in its wild species, the plant also received its German name Flammenblume (which, however, did not catch on; one usually speaks of the phlox ).

“A garden without phlox is not just a mere mistake, but a sin against summer” - this statement by the perennial breeder Karl Foerster , who brought out a number of varieties, is often quoted because today you can enjoy phlox all year round.

Phlox drummondii , the annual phlox, flowers from March to May. The next phlox species are all perennial and hardy: Phlox divaricata , the shrubby forest phlox , blooms first in April, Phlox subulata , the low, evergreen cushion phlox from April to May, then the wandering phlox ( Phlox stolonifera ) . This is followed by the early summer phlox ( Phlox glaberrima ), Phlox maculata , the meadow phlox and the Arendsii hybrids (early summer phlox varieties) bred by Georg Arends around 1910. The last group are the fragrant summer phlox varieties or garden phlox varieties ( Phlox paniculata ), which bloom into autumn.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Wilhelm Pape , Max Sengebusch (arrangement): Concise dictionary of the Greek language . 3rd edition, 6th impression. Vieweg & Sohn, Braunschweig 1914 ( zeno.org [accessed on February 4, 2019]).
  2. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Phlox in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  3. Walter Erhardt, Erich Götz, Nils Bödeker, Siegmund Seybold: The great zander. Encyclopedia of Plant Names. Volume 2. Types and varieties. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2008, ISBN 978-3-8001-5406-7 .

literature

  • Hermann Fuchs: Phlox - perennial and upholstered phlox. Ulmer, Stuttgart ISBN 3-8001-6539-2 .

Web links

Commons : Phlox  - album with pictures, videos and audio files