Ornamental · Onagraceae
Gaura
Gaura lindheimeri
Give it full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and gaura sends 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
Gaura earns its nickname of whirling butterflies the moment a breeze catches it. The slender wands carry small white or pink flowers that seem to hover and flutter above the foliage. It's a tough, taprooted perennial from the Onagraceae family, happy in tight, lean soil where fussier plants sulk.
What sets it apart is how little it asks. A deep taproot lets it ride out drought and heat once it's established, and it actually flowers harder in poor ground than in pampered beds. The trade-off is that those thin, wiry stems can flop, so it does best in full sun with room and a sturdy neighbor or two to lean on.
Hardy through zones 5 to 9, gaura blooms from late spring or summer right up to the first fall frost. Pollinators love it, and the long, airy bloom season makes it a quiet workhorse at the front or middle of a sunny border.
Care
The short version: full sun, lean and sharply drained soil, and a deep but infrequent drink. Skip the rich feeding, deadhead to keep it blooming, and cut back floppy stems for a fresh flush.
Light
Gaura wants full sun to bloom its best and stand up straight. It tolerates a little partial shade, but in too much shade the stems stretch, flop, and flower far less.
Water
Once it's established, the deep taproot carries gaura through drought and heat with ease. Water moderately, letting the top half of the soil dry between drinks, and steer clear of soggy ground, which brings on root rot. Plan on a deep soak every 7 to 14 days rather than frequent sips.
Soil
Plant in sandy or loamy, sharply drained soil, since good drainage is the one thing gaura can't do without. A slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.5 suits it well. Skip the rich, heavily amended beds, which push leafy growth at the cost of flowers.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity is fine, so there's no number to chase. Airflow matters far more here, because crowded, still foliage is what lets powdery mildew and rust set in.
Feeding
Gaura flowers best on a lean diet, so feed only lightly during the growing season, if at all. Rich or heavily fertilized soil reduces flowering and feeds floppy stems instead.
Pruning
Deadhead spent blooms to keep the flowers coming, 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 grows 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 won't be rushed past frost. Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, set plants out once the soil has warmed, and expect 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 starts underground with wet feet, or on the foliage when air can't move. Read the early signs and you can usually fix the cause before the plant suffers. Match what you see below, then act while it still helps.
Wilting, blackened base, and a plant that caves in
This is root rot, and it almost always traces back to soil that stays wet. Dig down and you'll find dark, soft, mushy roots in ground that never really dries out. Move the plant to a raised or sandier spot, ease off the watering, and pull anything too far gone to save.
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, powdery film on the leaves and stems
That dusty white coating is powdery mildew, and it takes hold when plants sit crowded with little air moving through them. Rub a patch and it lifts right off the leaf. Thin and space the plants to open them up, strip off the worst foliage, and keep water off the leaves.
Fix:
- Improve air circulation by spacing and thinning plants
- Remove affected foliage
- Avoid overhead watering
Rusty orange bumps on the underside of the leaves
Raised orange to brown pustules on the leaf undersides point to rust, a fungus that spreads on damp, still foliage. Pick off and destroy the infected leaves before it travels. Open the plant up for better airflow and keep the watering can aimed at the soil, not the leaves.
Fix:
- Remove and destroy infected leaves
- Improve air circulation
- Avoid wetting foliage when watering
Tall stems that grow leggy and flop over
Gaura's thin, wiry stems sprawl when they have nothing to lean on, and rich soil or too much shade makes the problem worse. The flop usually shows up after rain or in dim light. Cut the leggy stems back for a bushier rebloom, set the plant in full sun and leaner ground, and let sturdy neighbors 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 for households with animals: gaura is non-toxic across the board. It doesn't appear 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. Plant it freely where curious noses roam.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
Gaura is safe around cats. A curious nibble won't poison them, so there's nothing here to worry about.
Dogs None
Dogs can share the garden with gaura without any risk. It isn't on the ASPCA toxic list, and a mouthful of the foliage does no harm.
Horses Safe
Horses can graze near gaura safely. The plant carries no known toxin that troubles them.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits can browse the leaves with no ill effect, though as with any new green you should introduce it slowly.
Livestock Safe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can graze around gaura without poisoning. It poses no toxic threat in the pasture.
Birds Safe
Birds are fine around gaura. The flowers in fact draw in pollinators, and nothing about the plant is toxic to them.
People Safe
Gaura is harmless to people. It's grown purely as an ornamental, so handle and plant it freely.
Varieties
Several named selections narrow gaura down to a size and color that suits the spot. These are the ones worth knowing by name.
Whirling Butterflies
A compact 2 to 3 foot selection whose white flowers and pink buds flutter on wiry stems, and it stays sterile so it won't self-seed around the garden.
Siskiyou Pink
A pink-flowered cultivar set off by dark stems and reddish new growth.
Belleza
A dwarf, compact series bred for a tidier habit and heavy bloom.
Summer Breeze
A taller pick at roughly 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, loaded with pink-tinged white flowers.
How to propagate
You can multiply gaura from seed or by dividing an established clump, though the deep taproot calls for 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 reseeds itself freely, with the first flowers arriving in the first or second season. The catch is that many named cultivars are sterile, so those you have to multiply by division or cuttings rather than seed.
DivisionModerate
Divide in spring, taking care with the deep taproot. · Reestablishes over one growing season.
Divide in spring if you want more plants, but go gently, because the deep taproot resents being disturbed. A clump settles back in over a single growing season, and where the taproot makes division risky, basal cuttings are the safer route.
Myths
Gaura needs frequent watering and rich, fertile soil to thrive.
It's a taprooted plant that shrugs off drought and heat once settled in. Lean, well-drained soil is exactly what it wants, and rich ground with heavy watering cuts the flowering and invites root rot.
Gaura is poisonous to dogs and cats.
It doesn't appear on the ASPCA list of plants toxic to dogs or cats. Gaura is regarded as non-toxic, so it's a safe choice for a garden shared with pets.