Crème de la Crème Hardy Tall Phlox – 5-Pack Bare Root

Crème de la Crème Hardy Tall Phlox – The Most Elegant White Phlox You Can Grow

Among the dozens of tall garden phlox varieties available, Crème de la Crème earns its name. Its large, rosebud-like flower clusters open in creamy white kissed with soft blush pink — a refined, romantic color combination that works beautifully in cottage gardens, cutting gardens, and formal perennial borders alike. What truly sets it apart: the blooms don’t fade in summer heat, and the petals hold on the plant rather than dropping — keeping the display clean and fresh for weeks. Add sweet fragrance that carries on the breeze and exceptional vase life, and you have one of the finest tall phlox varieties available.

Why Crème de la Crème Stands Apart

• Non-fading, non-dropping blooms – Creamy-white petals with blush-pink centers hold their color and stay on the plant cleanly — no deadheading required to keep the display looking fresh.
• Sweetly fragrant – Classic phlox fragrance — sweet and slightly spicy — carries on the breeze, making it as enjoyable to walk past as it is to look at.
• Exceptional cut flower – Long stems, large flower clusters, and excellent vase life make Crème de la Crème one of the best phlox varieties for fresh-cut arrangements.
• Tall, structural form – Grows 36–48 inches tall, providing bold vertical structure in the mid-to-back border and excellent height for cutting.
• Butterfly & pollinator magnet – Sweetly fragrant blooms attract swallowtails, monarchs, and hummingbirds throughout the midsummer bloom season.
• Deer resistant – Naturally unpalatable to deer — a significant advantage in gardens with browsing pressure.
• Long-lived perennial – Returns reliably year after year, with clumps expanding gradually for an increasingly full display.

Ideal Uses

• Mid-to-back border in cottage and perennial gardens
• Cutting and fragrance gardens
• White or moon garden plantings
• Mixed borders with ornamental grasses, echinacea, and rudbeckia
• Butterfly and pollinator garden anchor

Picture a midsummer evening — the garden glowing in the low light, the sweet fragrance of Crème de la Crème drifting across the border, swallowtails working the flower clusters. You cut a few stems for the kitchen table, and they last a full week in the vase. That’s the Crème de la Crème experience.

Growing Guide

• Zones: USDA 3–8
• Light: Full sun — 6+ hours daily for best blooming and disease resistance
• Water: Regular, consistent moisture — tall phlox prefers evenly moist soil. Avoid overhead watering to reduce powdery mildew risk; water at the base.
• Soil: Fertile, well-draining soil amended with compost; pH 6.0–7.0
• Air circulation: Space plants 18–24 inches apart for good airflow, which is the best prevention for powdery mildew
• Planting: Plant bare roots in early spring with crowns 1–2 inches below soil surface
• Mature size: 36–48 inches tall, 18–24 inches wide
• Bloom time: July–August
• Deadheading: Remove spent flower clusters to encourage side-shoot blooms and extend the season
• Division: Divide clumps every 3–4 years in spring to maintain vigor and prevent center die-out

What’s Included

Each order includes 5 Grade #1 bare root Crème de la Crème Tall Phlox plants — the highest grade available, selected for size and vigor, ready to plant in early spring for blooms the same season.

Want More Color Options?

If you love tall phlox but want a mix of colors, check out the Hardy Tall Phlox Mix — a curated blend of tall phlox varieties in a range of colors, perfect for creating a vibrant, multi-hued cottage garden border with the same fragrant, pollinator-friendly performance.