Ornamental · Onagraceae
Gaura
Gaura lindheimeri
Give it full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and gaura will send up clouds of butterfly-like blooms from spring to frost.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 5–9
3–5 ft · 0.9–1.5 m
Overview
Ever seen gaura catch a breeze? That's where whirling butterflies comes from, since the slender wands carry little white or pink flowers that seem to hover and flutter over the foliage. It's a tough, taprooted perennial in the Onagraceae family, and it's happiest in tight, lean soil, the kind of spot where fussier plants would just sulk.
The best part is how little it asks for. That deep taproot lets it ride out drought and heat once it's settled, and believe it or not, it flowers harder in poor ground than in pampered beds. The catch? Those thin, wiry stems can flop, so it does best in full sun with some room and a sturdy neighbor or two to lean on.
It's hardy through zones 5 to 9, and it keeps blooming from late spring or summer right up to the first fall frost. Pollinators love it, and that long, airy bloom season makes it a quiet workhorse near the front or middle of a sunny border.
Care
The short version: full sun, lean and sharply drained soil, and a deep drink now and then. Go easy on the feeding, deadhead to keep it blooming, and cut floppy stems back for a fresh flush.
Light
Gaura wants full sun to bloom its best and stay standing up straight. It'll put up with a bit of partial shade, but too much shade and the stems stretch, flop, and flower way less.
Water
Once it's settled in, that deep taproot carries gaura through drought and heat no problem. Water it moderately, letting the top half of the soil dry between drinks, and stay away from soggy ground, since that's what brings on root rot. Think one deep soak every 7 to 14 days rather than lots of little sips.
Soil
Plant it in sandy or loamy, sharply drained soil, because good drainage is the one thing gaura just can't do without. A slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.5 suits it nicely. And skip the rich, heavily amended beds, since those push leafy growth instead of flowers.
Humidity
Regular outdoor humidity is all it needs, so there's no number to fuss over. What really matters here is airflow, because crowded, still foliage is exactly what lets powdery mildew and rust move in.
Feeding
Gaura flowers best on a lean diet, so feed only lightly during the growing season, if you feed at all. Rich or heavily fertilized soil reduces flowering and just feeds those floppy stems instead.
Pruning
Deadhead the spent blooms to keep the flowers coming, and cut back any floppy or leggy stems to get a bushier rebloom. Shear the flower spikes in fall, then clear out the dead foliage come spring.
Size & spacing
Gaura gets 3 to 5 feet (91 to 152 cm) tall and spreads 1 to 3 feet (30 to 91 cm) across. Give each plant that full spread so air can move through and the stems have room to stand.
When to plant
Gaura runs on the warm season, and it won't be rushed past frost, so no need to jump the gun. Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, set plants out once the soil's warmed up, and look for bloom from late spring or summer through the first fall frosts.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Sow: Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost.
- Plant: Transplant after the last spring frost once soil has warmed.
- Harvest: Blooms from late spring or summer through the first fall frosts.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 5–9
Temperature: down to -29°C
Troubleshooting
Most gaura trouble kicks off underground with wet feet, or up on the leaves when the air can't move. Catch the early signs and you can usually fix the cause before the plant really suffers. Just match what you're seeing below, then act while it still does some good.
Wilting, a black base, and the whole plant caving in
When gaura wilts, goes black at the base, and just folds, that's root rot, and wet soil is nearly always behind it. Dig down and you'll probably find dark, soft, mushy roots sitting in ground that never dries out. So move it somewhere raised or sandier, back off the watering, and let go of anything that's too far gone.
Fix:
- Improve drainage or move the plant to a raised or sandier site
- Reduce watering and allow soil to dry between waterings
- Remove and discard severely rotted plants
A white, dusty coating on the leaves and stems
See that dusty white stuff on the leaves? That's powdery mildew, and it shows up when plants are crowded and the air around them just sits there. Give it a rub and it lifts right off. So open things up by thinning and spacing the plants, pull the worst leaves, and try to keep water off the foliage.
Fix:
- Improve air circulation by spacing and thinning plants
- Remove affected foliage
- Avoid overhead watering
Rusty orange bumps hiding under the leaves
Flip a leaf and spot raised orange to brown bumps? That's rust, a fungus that loves damp, still leaves. Pick off the infected ones and get rid of them before it spreads any further. Then open the plant up so air can move, and aim the watering can at the soil instead of the leaves.
Fix:
- Remove and destroy infected leaves
- Improve air circulation
- Avoid wetting foliage when watering
Tall stems going lanky and flopping over
Those thin, wiry stems will sprawl when there's nothing to lean on, and rich soil or too much shade just makes it worse. You'll usually notice it after rain or in a shady spot. So cut the lanky stems back for a bushier rebloom, give it full sun and leaner soil, and plant a few sturdy neighbors to hold it up.
Fix:
- Cut back leggy stems to encourage bushier rebloom
- Plant near sturdy companions that provide support
- Grow in full sun and leaner soil
Toxicity
Good news if you've got animals around: gaura is non-toxic, right across the board. It doesn't show up on the ASPCA list of plants toxic to dogs or cats, and no part of it poses a poisoning risk to pets, livestock, or people. So plant it wherever curious noses like to wander.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
Cats are totally fine with gaura. A curious nibble won't poison them, so there's really nothing to stress about.
Dogs None
Dogs can share the garden with gaura, no problem. It isn't on the ASPCA toxic list, and even a mouthful of leaves does no harm.
Horses Safe
Horses can graze near gaura safely, since there's no known toxin in it that would bother them.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits can nibble the leaves and be fine, though like any new green, it's smart to ease them into it.
Livestock Safe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can graze around gaura without any poisoning worries. There's no toxic threat out in the pasture.
Birds Safe
Birds do just fine with gaura. The flowers actually pull in pollinators, and nothing about the plant is toxic to them.
People Safe
Gaura won't hurt people either. It's grown just as an ornamental, so go ahead and handle and plant it however you like.
Varieties
A few named selections let you dial gaura in to the size and color that suits your spot. Here are the ones worth knowing by name.
Whirling Butterflies
A neat 2 to 3 foot one with white flowers and pink buds that flutter on wiry stems, and since it's sterile, you won't get it seeding all over the place.
Siskiyou Pink
A pink-flowered type you can spot by its dark stems and reddish new growth.
Belleza
A dwarf, compact series that keeps a tidier shape and flowers like crazy.
Summer Breeze
A taller one at around 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, covered in pink-tinged white flowers.
How to propagate
You can make more gaura from seed or by splitting an established clump, though that deep taproot wants a gentle hand either way.
SeedModerate
Sow in spring; the species self-seeds readily while many named cultivars are sterile. · Blooms the first or second season from seed.
Sow the species in spring and it pretty much reseeds itself, with those first flowers turning up in the first or second season. The thing to watch is that a lot of named cultivars are sterile, so for those you'll want to use division or cuttings instead of seed.
DivisionModerate
Divide in spring, taking care with the deep taproot. · Reestablishes over one growing season.
Want more plants? Divide in spring, but be gentle, because that deep taproot really doesn't like being disturbed. A clump settles back in over one growing season, and where the taproot makes division dicey, basal cuttings are the safer bet.
Myths
Gaura needs frequent watering and rich, fertile soil to thrive.
Actually, it's the opposite, and that taproot lets it shrug off drought and heat once it's settled in. Lean, well-drained soil is exactly what it's after, so rich ground and heavy watering just cut the flowering and invite root rot.
Gaura is poisonous to dogs and cats.
Nope, it doesn't show up on the ASPCA list of plants toxic to dogs or cats. Gaura counts as non-toxic, so it's a safe pick for a garden the pets get to roam.