Knowledgebase

What is wrong with my tall phlox? #910323

Asked July 18, 2025, 2:07 AM EDT

I noticed the leaves drooping a few days ago and thought maybe it needed water, but the soil is wet! Could it be a fungus? Maybe the pot isn't draining properly??

Montgomery County Maryland

Expert Response

Wilted plants that have damp soil may be infected by a crown or root rot. We can't tell from the photo what the exact cause is, but the plant is unlikely to recover. One common culprit in summer due to its tolerance for very hot weather is Southern Blight, a fungal disease that causes rapid dieback of stems. You can learn what to look for in the linked page. Although the roots of infected plants are not killed directly by the fungus, it's usually best to remove the entire plant anyway since any regrowth could just become infected again by spores on the soil surface. If you want to try propagating what's left of the plant before its disposal, you could try taking cuttings of the healthiest stems to root, or attempt to take root cuttings (rinsing them off well to remove fungal spores in any soil clinging to the roots), but we don't have specific tips for either method and can't ensure that either would be successful.

Miri

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