What is it? Wild Blue Phlox, also known as Phlox divaricata, woodland phlox, or wild sweet william, is a semi-evergreen, flowering perennial.
Native to where? It is native to eastern North America.
Hardiness Zone: Plants are hardy from USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8.
What does it look like? The pleasantly fragrant flowers bloom in a variety of pastel colors: blue-lavender, light purple, pink, or white. It grows to a height of 1 to 2 feet tall. The flowers produce nectar at the base of the long, narrow corolla tube, and pollen near the end of the corolla tube.
Bloom Time: It may bloom from March to late May.
Growth Habit: Plants should be spaced 1 foot apart. The plant requires cross-pollination to produce seed.
Growing Conditions: It prefers growing in medium to moist soils of clay, loam, or sand in deciduous forests and fields. It is the perfect phlox for shady or partially shady areas.
Environmental Benefits: Only butterflies, moths, skippers, and long-tongued bees have long enough tongues to drink the nectar. Short-tongued bees and flower flies are unable to reach the nectar but may gather or feed on pollen.
Sources:
https://www.prairienursery.com/wild-blue-phlox-phlox-divaricata.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phlox_divaricata
http://tinyurl.com/2s3843n7
Image Sources:
By Wilson44691 - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48364562
By Fritzflohrreynolds - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31468511