Phlox (Annual) in Zone 10a & 10b

Phlox drummondii

When to plant phlox (annual) in zone 10b

Zones 10a and 10b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Phlox (Annual) tolerates either.

Start indoorsDec 26–Jan 2 '27
Direct sow / transplant outsideJan 23–Jan 30
Estimated bloomApr 3–Apr 10 (~70 days after planting)

Spacing: 2 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 0.5-1.5 ft.

Phlox (Annual)
Photo: Joanna Boisse via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.

Annual phlox is a compact, fast, and easy bedding flower in unusually bright, saturated colors, worth telling apart from the taller, perennial garden phlox that shares the common name but grows and behaves quite differently.

How phlox (annual) fits zone 10's season

Zone 10b's frost-free window runs about 324 days, from January 30 to December 20. Phlox (Annual) needs about 70 days from sowing to first harvest.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Phlox (Annual).

Where to buy phlox seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page also go to other retailers we may earn a commission from as an affiliate, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products with a genuine consensus of positive, independent reviews. See the sources cited on each item.

See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing phlox (annual)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 10b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

Growing Phlox (Annual) in USDA zone 10b

Pin this for later

Growing Phlox (Annual) in USDA zone 10b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.

Save to Pinterest