Phlox bifida, the cleft phlox or sand phlox, is native to the Midwestern United States, the Ozarks, and the cedar glades of Kentucky and Tennessee. It is found on rock outcrops, limestone glades, and in generally dry or sandy areas. It is a mat-forming subshrub growing in patches of short stems. It flowers in the spring. Two subspecies of Phlox bifida are distinguished based on hair and flower characters. These are: \n* Phlox bifida ssp. bifida - Native to sandy regions of the Midwest. \n* Phlox bifida ssp. stellaria - Native to limestone glades and cliffs of Kentucky and Tennessee.