Gaura or also known as wandflower, whirling butterfly, and bee blossom is a low maintenance perennial that has a long bloom time.
Both its height and spread ranges from 15 inches to 4 feet tall, but most new cultivars are bred to be compact and container-friendly.
Gaura foliage is lance shaped and often tinged with pink, cream, or gold, depending on the variety.
Wiry flower stems bear many 1 inch flowers, with four petals each, with flowers in white, pink, or a combination of both.
The heaviest blooming occurs in early summer, but it will have flushes of flowers recurring throughout the summer and into autumn.
Gaura thrives and blooms best in full sun, but will tolerate some afternoon shade, particularly in hot climates.
They are best planted in the spring or autumn, either from seed or cuttings in well draining soil, which is the key to success with gaura. Plant in groups of three or five plants for maximum impact.
Cutting back stems after the first main bloom will encourage a tidy plant and spur repeat blooming.
Gaura thrives in poor soil and doesn’t need supplemental flower fertiliser. Too much manure or fertiliser can make the plant floppy.
Water infrequently, but deeply, to help the plants establish their deep roots.
Keep in mind that the long taproot that makes gaura so drought tolerant also makes it difficult to transplant successfully, so choose your planting site carefully.
Guara plants are easy to care for, but may be affected by certain pests like aphids. Infestations of spider mites, whiteflies, and leaf miners are less common, but still possible. Applications of soapy water can typically resolve any problems with pests.
