Ornamental · Onagraceae
Gaura
Gaura lindheimeri
Give it full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and gaura fires off 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
Catch gaura in a breeze and the whirling butterflies name clicks into place: slender wands toss small white or pink flowers that dance and hover above the foliage. It grows as a tough, taprooted perennial in the Onagraceae family, and it comes alive in tight, lean soil that makes fussier plants sulk. Growing it is a genuine pleasure.
The payoff is how little it demands. A deep taproot drives it through drought and heat once it settles, and it flowers even harder in poor ground than in coddled beds. The one thing to plan around: those thin, wiry stems can flop, so plant it in full sun with elbow room and a sturdy neighbor or two to lean on.
Hardy through zones 5 to 9, gaura keeps the flowers rolling from late spring or summer clear to the first fall frost. Pollinators pile in, and that long, airy bloom season turns it into a tireless performer at 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. Ease off the feeding, deadhead to keep it firing, and cut floppy stems back for a fresh flush.
Light
Gaura craves full sun to flower flat out and stand up straight. It puts up with a little partial shade, but pile on too much and the stems stretch, flop, and flower far less.
Water
Once it settles, the deep taproot drives gaura through drought and heat without breaking stride. Water moderately, let the top half of the soil dry between drinks, and steer well clear of soggy ground, which triggers root rot. Go for a deep soak every 7 to 14 days rather than frequent little sips.
Soil
Plant it in sandy or loamy, sharply drained soil, because good drainage is the one thing gaura simply will not skip. A slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.5 keeps it firing. Ditch the rich, heavily amended beds, which pump out leafy growth at the cost of flowers.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity does the job, so there is no number to chase. Airflow is the real MVP here, because crowded, still foliage is what lets powdery mildew and rust move in.
Feeding
Gaura flowers best on a lean diet, so feed only lightly through the growing season, if at all. Rich or heavily fertilized soil reduces flowering and just pumps up floppy stems instead.
Pruning
Deadhead spent blooms to keep the flowers rolling, and cut back floppy or leggy stems to spark a bushier rebloom. Shear the flower spikes in fall, then clear out the dead foliage come spring.
Size & spacing
Gaura shoots up 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 rips through and the stems have room to stand.
When to plant
Gaura runs on the warm season and refuses to be rushed past frost, so time it right and it repays you. Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, set plants out once the soil has warmed, and get 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 foliage when the air stalls out. Spot the early signs and you can knock out the cause before the plant slows down. Match what you see below, then jump on it while it still counts.
Wilting, a blackened base, and a plant that goes down
A gaura that wilts, blackens at the base, and drops is fighting root rot, and soggy soil is the usual troublemaker. Dig in and you will turn up dark, soft, mushy roots stuck in ground that never dries. Get it moving again: shift the plant to a raised or sandier spot, dial back the water, and clear out whatever is 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 powdery white dusting on leaves and stems
A dusty white film creeping across the leaves is powdery mildew, and it pounces when plants pack in tight with barely any air stirring. Rub a patch and it wipes straight off. Open things up by thinning and spacing the plants, whip off the worst leaves, and keep the water aimed low, and it backs right off.
Fix:
- Improve air circulation by spacing and thinning plants
- Remove affected foliage
- Avoid overhead watering
Rusty orange bumps popping up under the leaves
Turn a leaf over and find raised orange to brown bumps, and you have caught rust, a fungus that races along damp, still foliage. Snap off the infected leaves and destroy them fast, before it hops to the rest. Then throw the plant open for airflow and send the water straight to the soil, and you shut it down.
Fix:
- Remove and destroy infected leaves
- Improve air circulation
- Avoid wetting foliage when watering
Lanky stems that stretch out and flop
Those thin, wiry stems will stretch and sprawl the moment they have nothing to lean on, and rich soil or too much shade shoves them over faster. Watch for the flop after rain or in a dim corner. Cut the lanky stems back and gaura bounces into a bushier rebloom, so give it full sun and leaner ground, then let sturdy neighbors prop 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
Great news for animal-filled homes: gaura is non-toxic top to bottom. It stays off the ASPCA list of plants toxic to dogs or cats, and no part of it poses a poisoning risk to pets, livestock, or people. Plant it anywhere curious noses go roaming.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
Cats get the all clear with gaura, since it is safe for them. A curious nibble will not poison them, so there is nothing here to hold you back.
Dogs None
Dogs can charge through a gaura patch with zero risk. It stays off the ASPCA toxic list, and a mouthful of leaves does no harm.
Horses Safe
Horses can graze right up to gaura and stay safe, because the plant packs no known toxin that troubles them.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits can browse the leaves with no ill effect, though as with any new green it pays to bring it in slowly.
Livestock Safe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can graze around gaura with nothing to fear, since it poses no toxic threat in the pasture.
Birds Safe
Birds thrive around gaura. The flowers pull in pollinators by the crowd, and nothing about the plant is toxic to them.
People Safe
Gaura is harmless to people, grown flat out as an ornamental, so dig in and handle and plant it freely.
Varieties
A handful of named selections lock gaura in to the size and color your spot is begging for. Get to know these by name first.
Whirling Butterflies
A snappy 2 to 3 foot selection that sends white flowers and pink buds dancing on wiry stems, and it stays sterile so it will not run to seed across the garden.
Siskiyou Pink
A pink-flowered cultivar that shows off dark stems and reddish new growth.
Belleza
A dwarf, compact series bred for a tidy habit and a flat-out heavy bloom.
Summer Breeze
A taller powerhouse at roughly 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, packed with pink-tinged white flowers.
How to propagate
You can crank out 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 takes off, reseeding itself with gusto and firing out its first flowers in the first or second season. One catch keeps it interesting: many named cultivars are sterile, so those you multiply by division or cuttings instead of seed.
DivisionModerate
Divide in spring, taking care with the deep taproot. · Reestablishes over one growing season.
Divide in spring to bulk up your stock, but ease in gently, because that deep taproot hates being disturbed. A clump charges back over a single growing season, and where the taproot makes division dicey, basal cuttings are the smart move.
Myths
Gaura needs frequent watering and rich, fertile soil to thrive.
Flip that on its head, because this taprooted plant powers through drought and heat once it settles in. Lean, well-drained soil is exactly what fires it up, while rich ground and heavy watering choke the flowering and invite root rot.
Gaura is poisonous to dogs and cats.
Not a bit of it, and gaura never turns up on the ASPCA list of plants toxic to dogs or cats. Gaura rates as non-toxic, so it earns a spot in any garden the pets get to roam.