Phlox douglasii 'Ochsenblut'

Perennial from the Polemoniaceae family, Phlox douglasii is native to the mountains of western North America, where it occupies high-altitude dry lawns, stabilized screes, and well-drained rocky slopes, generally between 1,500 and 3,000 meters. The cultivar 'Ochsenblut', whose name literally means ox blood in German, was selected for the very particular intensity of its floral hue.

It forms a moderately domed cushion, reaching 8 to 12 cm in height and spreading over 25 to 35 cm. The foliage, composed of small, bright green linear leaves, remains well visible between the flowers and gives the plant a prickly and dense texture even outside the flowering period.

The flowers have five narrow petals, well separated and non-overlapping, giving them a distinctly star-shaped silhouette. Their color, a very deep magenta-purple tending towards dark red, is one of the deepest tones found in this group of cultivars. The small, dark red central eye further accentuates the impression of chromatic intensity. In its natural habitat, the species blooms from May to July depending on altitude. In cultivation, 'Ochsenblut' generally blooms in May-June.

It requires a very well-drained soil, poor to moderately fertile, in full sun exposure. It tolerates summer drought well once established and withstands cold winters without difficulty. Stagnant moisture in winter remains its main constraint.