sagebrush phlox

Phlox aculeata A.Nelson

Sagebrush phlox keeps its flowering shoots close to the ground. Numerous compact stems arise from a woody base that persists between seasons, producing a low tuft rather than a tall, open spray. In Idaho sagebrush-steppe studies it occurs alongside perennial grasses such as Sandberg bluegrass, squirreltail and bluebunch wheatgrass. Idaho National Laboratory: Common Plants of the INL Bowman-Prideaux: Wildfire and rehabilitation history in Idaho sagebrush steppe

Botanical name

Phlox aculeata is an accepted perennial species in Polemoniaceae, distinct from the taller Phlox longifolia. Kew: Phlox aculeata

Recognizing the plant

Plants are generally less than ten centimeters tall. Opposite leaves are narrow and linear, about 10–35 mm long and only 0.5–1.5 mm wide. The nodes are so crowded that little bare stem remains visible between the leaves. White or pink flowers stand on short but distinct stalks. Their five fused petals form a narrow tube that flares into a flat face. The flowers are about 10–15 mm long, and the flowering shoots elongate as new clusters develop. Its longer leaves distinguish it from the similarly low Phlox hoodii. Idaho National Laboratory: Common Plants of the INL

Bloom window

Idaho National Laboratory site

At the Idaho study site, the flowering season is May and June. Idaho National Laboratory: Common Plants of the INL

Native range

The native range includes Idaho, Oregon and Washington. At the Idaho National Laboratory site it is scattered on coarse, rocky and sandy soils. Kew: Phlox aculeata Idaho National Laboratory: Common Plants of the INL

Botanical sources

Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.