Annual phlox is native to Texas and now widely distributed in the southeastern United States. Showy, rose-red flowers are born in clusters at the end of stems.
Annual phlox is an ornamental plant, growing from seed each year. The branches have sharp, pointed, lengthy, ciliated leaves. The trumpet-shaped flowers with a diameter of 2.5 cm are lightly scented. They attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.
Phlox drummondii is named after Scottish botanist Thomas Drummond, who sent phlox seeds back to Britain following his 1833–1835 expedition to Texas. Soon after, they were distributed to nurserymen in several European countries, where annual phlox has been prized as an ‘exotic’ cultivated garden flower for nearly 150 years. Meanwhile, numerous cultivars have a wide range of colors from white and cream through pinks, lilacs, roses, purples and reds, to almost black.