Gaura

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light shade, but flowers less and may flop.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once established, water during prolonged dry spells rather than keeping the soil constantly moist.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil, from slightly acidic to alkaline. Avoid waterlogged ground and rich, heavily fertilised soil.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m); compact cultivars are shorter

Spread

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m)

Flowers

Late spring or early summer into autumn; white flowers often open from pink buds and blush pink as they age. Pink-flowered cultivars are also available.

Foliage

Narrow green leaves, sometimes marked with burgundy spots; some cultivars have burgundy or variegated foliage. Usually dies back in cold winters but may retain basal leaves in mild climates.

Growth

Fast during the growing season, often flowering in its first year.

Care needed

Low

• Plant with the crown at soil level and leave enough space for the flowering stems to arch.
• Water deeply during establishment, then allow the soil to dry between waterings.
• Avoid routine feeding; excess nitrogen encourages weak, floppy growth.
• Keep mulch away from the crown, especially through wet winters.
• Use discreet twiggy supports if stems lean across paths; avoid repeated division because the deep root system resents disturbance.

Pruning. In early spring, cut old stems back to just above new basal growth. If flowering slows in midsummer, shorten the flowering stems by about one-third to encourage fresh growth and another flush.

Early spring

Remove dead stems once new basal growth is visible, and check that the crown has not rotted.

Spring

Plant in well-drained ground once severe frosts have passed; water new plants thoroughly.

Late spring

Take softwood cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather and trim tired flowering stems if a fresh flush is needed.

Autumn

Remove developing seed heads if unwanted seedlings are a concern; otherwise leave some stems standing.

Winter

Keep the crown free of wet leaves and avoid watering dormant plants unless the soil is unusually dry.

• Thread through grasses and salvias to create a light, moving layer above more solid planting.
• Plant in sunny gravel gardens with lavender and catmint, where drainage and restrained feeding suit all three.
• Repeat small groups through a cottage or perennial border for a long season of informal flowers.
• Use white-flowered forms beside a terrace or seating area, where the flowers remain visible in evening light.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, New perennial (prairie), Dry gravel garden, Pollinator garden, Mediterranean and White garden.

Plant it with: Lavender, Catmint, Meadow sage, Yarrow, Purple coneflower and Little bluestem.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and attract butterflies. Standing stems and surrounding basal growth can offer shelter for small invertebrates.

• Crown or root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move replacement plants to a raised bed; discard badly rotted plants.
• Floppy stems in shade or rich soil: move to full sun, stop nitrogen feeding and provide light support if needed.
• Aphids on young shoots: wash them off with water and encourage ladybirds and other predators.
• Unwanted seedlings: remove fading flower stems before seed ripens and pull seedlings while small.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Species-specific information is limited, so do not treat the leaves, flowers or roots as food.

Where it spreads. Can self-seed freely. It is regarded as an environmental weed in parts of Australia, including New South Wales and Queensland; check local weed advice before planting and prevent seed escape near natural areas.

• Scarlet beeblossom (Oenothera suffrutescens)

  Usually forms a much lower, spreading patch, with flowers that change from pale shades to pink or reddish tones; gaura forms taller, airy clumps with long, loose flower sprays.

The former genus name Gaura comes from the Greek gauros, meaning splendid, while lindheimeri honours the Texas botanist Ferdinand Lindheimer.

Propagation. Sow seed in spring; seedlings may flower in their first year but will not reliably match named cultivars. Take softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer to preserve a cultivar. Division is less reliable because established plants have deep roots.

Accepted botanical name

Oenothera lindheimeri

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Louisiana and Texas.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.