Zone 9 · winter lows 20°F to 30°F
Phlox for Zone 9
50 Phlox varieties rated hardy through Zone 9, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 9 is nearly year-round growing — heat tolerance matters more than cold.
The Phlox that thrive in Zone 9
#1 most savedPrairie Phlox
Phlox pilosa
#2 most savedCreeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Candy Stripe'
#3 most savedEmerald Blue Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Emerald Blue'

Emerald Pink Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Emerald Pink'

Creeping Phlox 'Blue Carpet'
Phlox subulata 'Blue Carpet'

John Fanick Phlox
Phlox paniculata 'John Fanick'

Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Blue Emerald'

Scarlet Flame Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Scarlet Flame'

Emerald Blue Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Emerald Cushion Blue'

Phlox pilosa Slim Jim
Phlox pilosa 'Slim Jim'

Red Wings Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Red Wings'

Garden Phlox Opalescence
Phlox paniculata 'Opalescence'

Garden Phlox 'Starburst'
Phlox paniculata 'Starburst'

Phlox Flame Red
Phlox paniculata 'Flame Red'

Garden Phlox Katherine
Phlox paniculata 'Katherine'

Creeping Phlox Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata

Purple Beauty Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Purple Beauty'

Creeping Phlox Eye Caramba
Phlox subulata 'Eye Caramba'

Creeping Phlox 'Violet Pinwheels'
Phlox subulata 'Violet Pinwheels'

Variegated Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Nettletons Variation'

Garden Phlox
Phlox paniculata 'Backlight'

Creeping Phlox 'Crimson Beauty'
Phlox subulata 'Crimson Beauty'

Drummond's Phlox
Phlox drummondii

Annual Phlox
Phlox drummondii 'Pink'
Showing the 24 most-saved of 50 Zone 9–hardy Phlox varieties. See the full Phlox list →
Phlox in Zone 9
Will Phlox survive a Zone 9 winter?
50 of the 129 Phlox varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 9, where winter lows reach 20°F to 30°F. Hardiness is per-variety, not per-genus — the plants listed above are the ones that hold up; others in the genus are not rated for this zone.
When should I plant Phlox in Zone 9?
In Zone 9 the last spring frost typically lands around late February and the first fall frost around early December. Planting after the last frost — or in early fall, so roots establish before the ground cools — gives the best establishment. Each plant page lists its own planting months.
Which Phlox is best for Zone 9?
Start at the top of the list above: it is ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow each variety, which is a strong real-world reliability signal. Then narrow by your sun exposure and the mature size that fits the bed.
