Is there an outbreak of phlox this season? is it allergy time for phlox?
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners with your question about phlox. There are hundreds of species and cultivars of phlox, the most popular being :
Phlox subulata (Moss phlox), which is low growing and spring blooming in full sun.
Phlox divaricata (Woodland phlox), which is low growing and spring blooming in the shade.
Phlox stolonifera (Creeping phlox), which is low growing and summer blooming in full sun – part shade.
Phlox paniculata (Garden phlox), which is tall/upright and summer blooming in full sun – part shade.
Regarding any outbreak of phlox, I am not aware that phlox has been growing any differently than other plants this season. After a long cool start to this gardening season, in many cases the plants in our gardens are flourishing and more abundant than than in other years due to lots of spring rain and now lots of sunshine and warm temperatures.
Plants produce pollen when they are in bloom. Phlox is less likely than many plants in the garden to cause seasonal allergies because its pollen is not airborne, meaning that pollinators transfer this pollen, not the wind, so unlike many plants, phlox pollen is not likely to be blowing around in the air we breathe.
Below is a link to an article about allergy-free gardening that you might find helpful.
Gardenmaking : Allergy-free gardening