Japanese name: ツルハナシノブ（蔓花忍） Scientific name:Phlox stolonifera
[Overview]
A perennial 15–30 cm tall.
The whole plant is hairy.
It produces creeping stems that root at the nodes and spread, forming colonies in its native range.
Leaves are simple and opposite; those on the creeping stems are obovate, and those on the upright stems are oblong to ovate, with entire margins.
Cymes at the stem tips bear about 6 purple flowers.
The corolla is 5-lobed and opens flat.
The fruit is a capsule.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
In a suitable environment, it multiplies well from self-sown seed and grows well even when left alone.
It prefers sun to partial shade and fertile, well-drained soil.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
For potted plants, apply liquid fertilizer once a month.
Remove spent flowers promptly and cut the plant back during the rainy season, which helps prevent diseases caused by stuffiness.
Pests and diseases include powdery mildew, gray mold, spider mites and cutworms.
