Gaura is an evergreen perennial with delicately beautiful flowers. It’s native to hot, humid southern states, but can thrive in desert gardens, with a little extra care. Here’s how to grow this surprisingly hardy wildflower and its many cultivars.
Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri) is an airy, graceful perennial with inconspicuous, thin green leaves. When not in bloom, it largely goes unnoticed.
But when it flowers, it’s an eye-catcher. Delicate flowers seem to float atop tall, wiry stems. Slender flower stalks dance in the breeze, adding movement to the garden. Each one-inch flower starts out white, and then fades to pink.
It’s not a desert plant, but it can thrive here under the right conditions. It can tolerate most southwest heat and is impervious to cold. It needs a moderate amount of water and some relief from intense sun.
The flowers, which bloom from spring through the first frost, attract butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.
Despite its other common name — whirling butterflies — it’s largely pollinated by moths and is a larval host for many moth species. (I prefer this charming name, but gaura was a lot easier to type. ;))
Why I Like This Plant
- Delightful delicate flowers
- Long bloom period
- Evergreen leaves
- No thorns, low-litter, non-toxic
- Pollinator magnet
Things to Watch Out For
Gaura is not a desert native and will struggle in the hottest, sunniest spots in desert gardens. It barely tolerates growing in the hottest climates, such as Phoenix.
These lovely flowers do not have an equally lovely fragrance. In fact, their scent is sometimes compared to cat pee.
Don’t plant gaura where rabbits or javelinas can get at them. Rabbits enjoy nibbling on these plants and javelinas can make short work of these airy plants.
Gaura forms a deep taproot and does not respond well to being moved once planted in the ground.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding gaura to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Gaura can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 – 9. It tolerates desert heat but should not be planted in the hottest spots in Zone 9B gardens. However, plants are extremely cold-hardy, down to -10℉.
Sun Exposure
Gaura can be grown in full sun or part sun, but does best with some afternoon shade.. An ideal spot is in dappled shade under a tree.
Don’t grow this along a sunny west-facing wall. Plants struggle in full sun in Phoenix.
Size and Growth Rate
Gaura is considered a moderately fast grower that typically reaches a mature size of 3’ wide by 3’ tall.
Soil
Gaura tolerates most desert soil types, including sandy or clay, provided it’s well-draining. However, its native habitats include prairies, pinelands, and alongside ponds, so it’s happiest in moist loam.
Other Location Considerations
Since it has no thorns, is non-toxic, and low-litter, it’s a plant you can feel comfortable placing near a pool, sidewalk, or anywhere it might come in contact with pets and people.
And because gaura prefers moist soil and flower stalks tend to flop, consider growing it in a pot where you can easily add support. It makes a beautiful container plant.
Gaura:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Gaura |
| Scientific Name | Oenothera lindheimeri |
| Origin | Texas, Louisiana |
| Plant Type | Evergreen perennial |
| USDA Zones | Zones 5 – 9 |
| Cold Hardy | To -10℉ |
| Flower Color | White, pink |
| Flower Season | Spring, summer, fall |
| Mature Size | 3’ high x 3’ wide |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Sun Tolerance | Full, part sun |
| Water Needs | Moderate |
| Pests & Diseases | None |
| Garden Friendly | No thorns, non-toxic |
| Wildlife | Attracts butterflies, moths, bees |
How to Plant
When planting any perennial in the desert, dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Since gaura prefers moist, loamy soil, consider amending your hole with compost or a commercial soil mix.
However, don’t overdo adding organic matter. Flower stems can become leggy and flop when grown in overly rich soil.
When to Plant
The best time to plant gaura is in the fall. This gives it three seasons to grow roots and get established before the following summer.
The second best time is in spring, the earlier the better. This still gives your plant time to get established before the intense heat of June arrives.
How to Care for Gaura
Whether you’ve recently planted a gaura or have an existing one in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water
During the first growing season, give your plant about 1/2 gallon of water once a week while it’s establishing its root system.
After that, the University of Arizona recommends watering desert perennials on this schedule:
| Spring (March – May) | 10 – 14 days |
| Summer (May – Oct.) | 7 – 10 days |
| Fall (Oct. – Dec.) | 10 – 14 days |
| Winter (Dec – March) | 14 – 21 days |
Be careful not to overwater. Gaura can develop root rot if overwatered.
Should You Fertilize?
There is no need to fertilize gaura, unless it’s grown in a container. Fertilizer can encourage leaf growth at the expense of flowers.
How to Prune
Prune in late winter or early spring to remove winter damage. You can also cut your plant back by half in late spring or midsummer, to control size or encourage more blooms or bushiness.
You can also give your plant a hard rejuvenating prune in the late fall, if it’s looking rangy or spent.
Removing spent flower stalks is optional.
Gaura Cultivars
There’s a plethora of gaura cultivars you may encounter when shopping that vary in size and color.
One of the most popular cultivars is Gaura ‘Siskiyou Pink’. Its new foliage is burgundy, and its flowers are rosy pink.
Here’s a small sample of other cultivars you may encounter:
- ‘Cool Breeze’
- ‘Mr. Liko’
- ‘Passionate Blush’
- ‘Perky Pink’
- ‘Pink Cloud’
- ‘Pink Fountain’
- ‘Pink Lady’
- ‘Rosy Jane’
- ‘So White’
Note that the more colorful forms are not always stable and sometimes revert back to white.
Plant Lover Facts
Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri) goes by a long list of common names including appleblossom grass, bee blossom, butterfly flower, butterfly gaura, clockweed, Indian feather, Lindheimer’s beeblossom, Lindheimer’s clockweed, Lindheimer’s gaura, wand flower, whirling butterflies, and white gaura. Phew!
The common name gaura stems from its previous scientific name Gaura lindheimeri. Gaura was a genus of plants derived from Greek γαῦρος (gaûros) meaning “superb.”
Most plants in the genus have been moved into the Oenothera genus, which includes other southwest landscape plants such as tufted evening primrose (Oenothera cespitosa) and Mexican evening primrose (Oenothera berlanderii).
The species was named after Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer, a botanist who is known as the “father of Texas botany.”
Gaura has a small native range that extends from southeast Texas to southwest Louisiana. It has naturalized in Alabama. It has also escaped cultivation throughout Europe (Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain) and in Southern Africa.
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for over 15 years.
Photo Credits
Ves, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, North Carolina State Extension