Japanese name: クサキョウチクトウ（草夾竹桃） Scientific name:Phlox paniculata
[Overview]
A perennial 60–120 cm tall.
The stem is erect.
Leaves are simple, decussate-opposite or in whorls of 3, lanceolate, 7–13 cm long, with entire margins.
Panicles at the stem tips bear many flowers about 2.5 cm across.
The corolla is 5-lobed and opens flat.
Flower color in wild plants is white to pale reddish purple, but cultivars come in a wide variety of colors.
[Uses]
The leaves are used medicinally.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by root cuttings.
It prefers fertile soil with sun and good drainage.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
For potted plants, apply slow-release fertilizer in spring and autumn.
Pests and diseases include powdery mildew and cutworms.
