Phlox (pronounced "flocks" and meaning 'flame' in Latin) is one of sixty-seven similar species of annual or perennial flowering plants. Some variaties flower in early spring, while others flower in summer into fall. This is an extremely hardy plant that can thrive happily in a widely divergent range of habitats, from alpine locations to open woodlands and prairies. The lovely flowers range in color: from pale blue to bright red to white, and bloom in Central Park from July to September. The plants provide some of the most vibrantly colorful blooms that can be found in Conservatory Garden in early fall. Some species such as Phlox glaberrima (Smooth Phlox) grow to three feet tall, while others, such as Phlox stolonifera (Creeping Phlox), form low mats only a few centimetres in height. This is a species that knows how to take advantage of whatever limited housing is available.