Flower profile
Fall phlox
Phlox paniculata
Fall phlox is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–October.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
Quick look
Phlox paniculata is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family (Polemoniaceae). It is native to parts of the eastern and central United States. It is extensively cultivated in temperate regions as an ornamental plant and has become established in the wild in scattered locales in other regions. Common names include fall phlox, garden phlox, perennial phlox, summer phlox, and panicled phlox.
- It belongs to the Polemoniaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 35 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Ohio and Indiana. NatureServe
- In Ohio, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–October. iNaturalist
- In Indiana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–October. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,952 research-grade sightings of it in Ohio, ranking #91 among the 109 flowers on our Ohio list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 896 research-grade sightings of it in Indiana, ranking #84 among the 109 flowers on our Indiana list. iNaturalist
Fall phlox gift ideas
Handmade fall phlox gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Fall phlox art print
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Fall phlox greeting card
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Fall phlox mug
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Fall phlox earrings
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Fall phlox embroidery pattern
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Fall phlox sticker
When does it bloom?
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Ohio
- Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
- Indiana
- No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Indiana.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: KS (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Phlox subulata (“Moss Phlox”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records fall phlox in 35 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.
Ohio counties with USDA records: Adams, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Butler, Carroll, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Franklin, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Hamilton, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Miami, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Ottawa, Perry, Portage, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Scioto, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wood.
Indiana counties with USDA records: Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Cass, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Daviess, Decatur, Floyd, Fountain, Franklin, Gibson, Grant, Greene, Hamilton, Harrison, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Jay, Jefferson, Jennings, Knox, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Martin, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Owen, Parke, Perry, Porter, Posey, Putnam, Ripley, Rush, Shelby, Spencer, St. Joseph, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Union, Vermillion, Vigo, Warren, Warrick, Washington, Wayne, Wells.
More Ohio flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile PHPA9.
- iNaturalist, Phlox paniculata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Phlox paniculata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Ohio: Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024).
- Ohio: Ohio invasive plant species (Ohio Adm. Code 901:5-30-01).
- Indiana: Indiana prohibited invasive terrestrial plants (312 IAC 18-3-25).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Phlox paniculata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Yann Kemper via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.