Fort Hills Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata 'Fort Hills'
- Stay Protected with Plant Sentry ™
Fort Hills Creeping Phlox - #1 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
Click Here to learn more

Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
From | To | S&H |
---|---|---|
$0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
$20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
$50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
$70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
$100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
$130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
$150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
#1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
#3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
#6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
#7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Fort Hills Creeping Phlox highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
-
Brand
-
Botanical Name
-
Growing Zones
-
Mature Height
-
Mature Spread
-
Sun ExposureFull Sun
-
Moisture
-
Soil
-
Growth RateMedium
-
Flower Color
-
Fall Color
-
Pollinator Friendly
-
Fragrant
-
Pruning Time
-
Bloom PeriodEarly Spring, Late Spring

Growing Zones 3-8
You'll adore the tender flowers of one of the prettiest small, perennial flowering groundcovers. Fort Hills Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata 'Fort Hill') brings a smile to all who see its electric violet hue. In spring, these flowering carpets are a sight for winter-weary eyes! The showy display of optimistic flowers brings so much joy! There is nothing so welcome as vibrant early spring-flowering plants.
Each 5-petaled bloom is tiny, but the impact they make is huge! A single plant may produce hundreds of flowers borne from clusters of buds. Next, look closer to the individual petals. The widened ends are deeply lobed into a triangular notch. These "fairy flowers" look like beautiful, light purple hearts! These bright blooms are held high above the foliage for even greater impact.
Encircling the center, deeper purple spots draw your eye and add dimension to each bloom. You'll never, ever grow tired of this sophisticated, sweet variety. The pollinators will arrive in droves, excited for the early spring nectar resource! Southern climates may even see early-arriving hummingbirds stopping for a visit on their migratory paths as they head north!
Once the flowers are done, this perennial Phlox still looks good! Fort Hills grows into a dense mat of needle-like, evergreen foliage. You'll love these hard-working, flowering plants as either groundcover or cascading plants. Robust, cold-hardy, and low-maintenance, this perennial comes back for you year after year throughout USDA hardiness zones 3-8!
Planting and Application:
Landscape professionals rely on the charm of low-growing flowering groundcovers as a finishing touch in their designs. Don't neglect the low ground and front garden areas! Include Creeping Phlox in sunny spots throughout your garden as a useful groundcover, to suppress weeds, and hold the soil for you.
Add these to the edge of your walkways, or high-visibility garden plantings. Plant them between stepping stones for a candy-colored feature walk in your sunny side yard. Create a continuous mat of brilliant color by planting them 12 inches apart, measuring from the center of one to the center of the next. They'll grow together and touch.
Use a solid planting of Fort Hills for a bright, polished presentation. This elegant variety is one of the very best Creeping Phlox available on the market, and you'll be very pleased with the high quality of our plant materials. If you have a slope, you can add additional rows in a zigzagging, staggered pattern to cover a larger area. Space each row 12 inches apart, as well. Mulch and weed between the plants until they grow together and touch.
Of course, you can always choose to mix things up in a wonderfully colorful planting of several different varieties. It's hard to choose a single flower color from the wide array of these lively little plants. Feel free to "go wild" with space-saving springtime color! Call it a Phlox subulata collection!
Add Fort Hills to drab, challenging sun-soaked spots in your landscape, and dub the space your Rock Garden. These are hard-working, rugged and can handle tough conditions. Listed on Firewise lists for defensible space gardening, and Xeriscapers consider this a "go-to" flowering plant for spring flair and year-round green!
Another wonderful way to leverage these valuable plants is as a "Spiller" that cascades down from the top of rock walls and concrete block retaining walls. Add several around the edge of your outdoor containers for a soft, professional look that acts as both a spiller and filler! Plant up a container for spring color. These cold-hardy plants can be safely left outside in all but the coldest regions of the United States, even if you have a tiny lot, or you are renting!
- Light Lavender-Pink Blooms Highlighted by Purple Centers
- Amazingly Lobed Petals Look Like Tiny Hearts
- Low-Growing Plant Covered in Tiny Flowers
- Tidy, Evergreen/Perennial Foliage
- Early Nectar Resource for Butterflies & Beneficial Pollinators
- Shades Out Weeds, Stabilizes Soil, Container Spiller, En Masse & Accents!
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Grow Fort Hills Creeping Phlox in full sun for best results. These perennials need at least six hours of sunlight for the brightest color. They'll also do best in well-drained soil and are quite adaptable to even poor-quality soils. Ensure they don't get planted too deeply.
The first year in your landscape, provide a regular schedule of supplemental water. Taking care will help get their roots established. Protect your investment by applying water in prolonged drought, as well. In the fall, give them a good drink before you winterize your sprinkler system. This will safeguard the evergreen foliage from strong winter winds in the coldest growing zones. Apply a three-inch layer of mulch around your plant, but take care it doesn't rest against the stems. Mulch supports healthy soil, and cuts down on surface evaporation.
In early spring, keep them trimmed up and tidy immediately after flowering. Don't be surprised to see sporadic flowering throughout the summer. If you lightly deadhead the first flush of flowers, you may encourage more flowers.
While no plant is truly deer resistant, they do not seem to prefer the taste of these plants. If you live in Deer Country, be sure to use Deer Repellent from the first day of planting, and continue by the instructions on the label to train deer to think your plant isn’t tasty!
- Cold Hardy in Full Sun
- Moderate Regular Moisture & Well-Drained Soil
- Easy-Care & Widely Adaptable Flowering Perennial Plants
- Moderately Drought Tolerant Once Established
- Deer Don't Prefer the Taste
- Can Remain Evergreen in Mild Winters
Ethereal durability! Add Fort Hills Creeping Phlox to your landscape this season. You'll feel like a genius next spring. Order Fort Hills Creeping Phlox from Nature Hills Nursery!
Phlox Frequently Asked Questions
Does Creeping Phlox spread?
Most Garden Phlox do spread some but politely so - not getting into trouble and not jumping their borders. Should the clumps become too large you can easily divide them.
Should your deadhead Creeping Phlox?
Deadheading Carpet Phlox helps prevent some varieties from self-seeding and encourages a rebloom. Shear or prune immediately after flowering for a rebloom later on.
Where is the best place to plant Phlox?
Phlox needs full sun, and well-drained enriched soil with good air circulation for best results. Mulch their beds and fertilize them each spring.
What happens to Phlox in the winter?
Phlox are herbaceous perennials that will lose their leaves and stems after frost and die back to the ground. In spring, they regrow from their root systems anew! However, Creeping Phlox can remain semi to fully evergreen in mild winters and warm growing zones.
What Shipping Options Do You Offer?
NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and won'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Garden Phlox for sale here at NatureHills.com!