Wasatch Wildflowers: Longleaf Phlox (phlox longifolia)

Photo: Longleaf phlox (phlox longifolia) – photo: Ashley Brown

WASATCH MOUNTAINS, Utah – Longleaf phlox is a perennial herb native to Utah. Indigenous populations use specific plant parts as a topical remedy for boils or ingested for stomach disorders.

The pink, lilac, and white blossoms bring life and color to barren landscapes. Each flower is about one inch wide with five lobes. The plant can grow up to a foot tall and has very narrow leaves. The most eye-catching specimens feature dense blooms that blanket the earth with flowers.

Longleaf phlox thrives in dry, open, and rocky regions like sagebrush and mountain shrub communities. Watch for blooms from spring to mid-summer between 4000 and 10000 feet.