‘Jeana’ Phlox Named 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year

The Perennial Plant Association has announced ‘Jeana’ phlox (Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’) as the 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year. This coveted award is given annually to a perennial judged to be a superior plant for widespread use based on its multiple appealing attributes.

About the Perennial Plant Association

The Perennial Plant Association is a trade association composed of growers, retailers, landscape designers, educators, and other professionals in the perennial plant industry. Each year since 1990, they have selected one exceptional perennial plant to showcase as their Plant of the Year. Their goal is to educate home gardeners and industry professionals on plants with excellent garden performance that also support the association’s mission to promote environmentally responsible gardening.

Why ‘Jeana’ Phlox Was Chosen

‘Jeana’ phlox boasts many desirable traits that make it a standout choice for the 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year. Here are some of its winning attributes:

• Vibrant color: ‘Jeana’ bears large, fragrant panicles of bright lavender-pink flowers from early to late summer. The colorful blooms attract pollinators and add long-lasting color to borders.

• Mildew resistance Most phlox are prone to powdery mildew, but ‘Jeana’ has excellent resistance to this fungal disease Its foliage remains clean all season long

• Deer and rabbit resistance: Unlike many perennials, ‘Jeana’ is rarely damaged by browsing deer and rabbits. This makes it a great choice for gardens plagued by these critters.

• Long bloom time: Each flower panicle remains attractive for up to 6 weeks and the plant continues producing new blooms into the fall. Few perennials offer such an exceptionally long season of color.

• Easy care: ‘Jeana’ thrives in full sun to part shade and average, well-drained soil. Once established, it is drought tolerant and requires little care to continue performing at its best season after season.

• Good garden plant: At 36 inches tall and 30 inches wide, ‘Jeana’ phlox fits nicely into perennial borders, cottage gardens, and mixed containers. The compact, mounded habit also works well in smaller urban and suburban landscapes.

• Native cultivar: ‘Jeana’ is a selection of our native Phlox paniculata. It was found as a seedling in southwestern Wisconsin. Native plants support biodiversity and sustainability.

With all these excellent attributes, it’s easy to see why ‘Jeana’ emerged as the standout choice for the 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year.

How to Grow ‘Jeana’ Phlox

Since ‘Jeana’ phlox is native to the Upper Midwest, it is winter hardy in USDA zones 3-8. Gardeners in zones 9 and 10 may be able to grow it as an annual or short-lived perennial.

This phlox grows best in full sun, meaning it should receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It tolerates light shade but may bloom less prolifically. Well-drained, average soil amended with ample organic matter is ideal. ‘Jeana’ does not require extremely fertile soil and may stretch and flop in overly rich soil.

New plants can be started from container-grown perennials planted in spring or fall. Give each plant about 2 feet of space all around. Water regularly the first season to establish an extensive root system. After establishment, ‘Jeana’ phlox is quite drought tolerant. However, occasional deep watering during dry spells will maintain the best growth and flowering.

Cut plants back to about 6 inches in late fall or early spring. Apply a thin layer of compost around the base in early spring to provide light fertilization. Staking is rarely necessary since ‘Jeana’ has a naturally compact, upright habit. It may benefit from pinching or cutting back half its height in early summer to encourage bushier growth and more flowers.

Divide congested plants every 3-4 years in spring or fall. ‘Jeana’ phlox is best propagated by division as seedlings do not come true.

Companion Plants for ‘Jeana’ Phlox

The bright lavender-pink flowers and dark green foliage of ‘Jeana’ phlox complement many other perennials. Here are some great options to pair with it:

• Catmint (Nepeta) – blue flowers, fragrant foliage
• coneflowers (Echinacea) – purple, pink, white flowers
• Coral bells (Heuchera) – red, purple, chartreuse foliage
• Tickseed (Coreopsis) – yellow flowers
• Geranium ‘Rozanne’ – violet-blue flowers
• Russian sage (Perovskia) – airy blue flowers, silver foliage
• Salvia – red, pink, or purple flowers

Mixing 3-5 groupings of ‘Jeana’ phlox throughout your border or bed provides eye-catching spots of color. Underplant it with lower-growing perennials like catmint or coral bells. Taller companions like Russian sage or ornamental grasses can hide the bare lower stems of the phlox later in the season.

Why Grow the Perennial Plant of the Year

Adding the Perennial Plant Association’s Plant of the Year to your garden is an excellent way to try out new plants you may not have considered before. Their experienced evaluation helps eliminate much of the guesswork in choosing perennials. You can feel confident that the Plant of the Year will deliver outstanding performance in your garden.

The plants are also rigorously tested to ensure they are widely available through retail nurseries, catalogs, and garden centers. This makes it easy to find the current Plant of the Year locally.

Since these plants are chosen to represent the best of sustainable and environmentally friendly gardening, growing them aligns with responsible gardening practices. They require minimal water, fertilizer, pesticides and other inputs while giving back to the environment through supporting pollinators and wildlife.

So be sure to look for ‘Jeana’ phlox at your favorite nurseries next spring. Adding this beautiful and carefree Perennial Plant of the Year to your garden is sure to bring you many seasons of enjoyment.