One of the fun things about gardening each year is seeking out exciting new cultivars of old favorites. The hybridizers have given us bigger flowers and more color choices. Yet many of us gardeners yearn for a return to fragrance of flower and strength of stem. When research confirms additional qualities such as disease resistance, we eagerly embrace the plant.

This year Phlox David promises to give us what we want. In fact, the Perennial Plant Assn. has named it the 2002 Perennial Plant of the Year.

The Perennial Plant Assn. has named Phlox David as its 2002 Perennial Plant of the Year. The versatile, traditional plant offers a long bloom season of fragrant white flower clusters.

“Phlox David is praised for its bright white clusters of delightfully fragrant flowers,” said Steven Still, the plant association’s executive director. “It is known to flower from mid-July to September.”

When the association an educational and professional trade group votes on its perennial plant of the year, it seeks a perennial that is suitable for a wide range of climate types, has low maintenance, is easily propagated and exhibits multiseason interest.

The fragrant white flower clusters of Phlox David are 6 to 9 inches long and 6 to 8 inches wide with 1-inch diameter florets. It is an erect perennial that reaches 36 to 40 inches in height. The plant produces strong stems that stand up to wind and weather.

While many landscapers have long considered phlox to be the backbone of the summer garden because of its extended bloom period, Phlox David has endeared itself to gardeners with its versatility. It can be used in both the formal and informal garden. It is attractive in cottage gardens and those with naturalized styles.

Use Phlox David with purple coneflower or globe thistle for a study in color and textural contrasts. For a stunning effect plant Phlox David with Miscanthus sinensis Morning Light or Cabaret. The foliage of these grasses echoes Phlox David’s white flowers. The blue flowers of Aster laevis Bluebird highlight the white panicles of Phlox David for an excellent autumn blooming combination.

An excellent cultivar of an old-fashioned favorite, this long-blooming perennial grows best in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. When Phlox David is planted in full sun, organic matter and extra water should be added to offset the effects of heat and drought. Without these precautions, spider mites may be a problem.

Space plants 18 inches apart and water well until they are established. To maintain plant vigor, divide plants every two to three years and remove old blossoms. This will also prolong bloom and prevent reseeding.

Although Phlox David is fairly resistant to powdery mildew, proper culture will aid in prevention. Plants should be thinned to four to six stems to increase air circulation. Watering phlox at the base of the plant rather than on its foliage will reduce the promotion of powdery mildew.

Phlox David can be propagated by root cuttings, stem cuttings, division and tissue culture. Clump division simply requires the separation of crowns within the clump. Division can be done in spring or early fall. Three to five crowns per division are sufficient for a one-gallon container.

Phlox David is a member of the Polemoniaceae family and is native from New York to Georgia and west to Arkansas and Illinois. It is thought to be descended from Phlox paniculata, which was originally sent to England in the early 1700s by the great naturalist and plant explorer John Bartram.

Phlox paniculata also is known as garden phlox, summer phlox, perennial phlox and autumn phlox. Phlox David performs well in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9, which include Lawrence.

For gardeners looking for a perennial with fragrance, shimmering white color, clean foliage, mildew resistance and long-season bloom, Phlox David is a great choice.

Carol Boncella is education coordinator at Lawrence Memorial Hospital and home and garden writer for the Journal-World.