Gaura
Oenothera lindheimeri (Engelm. & A.Gray) W.L.Wagner & Hoch
Also called gaura, whirling butterflies. Synonyms: Gaura lindheimeri.
Wiry, airy perennial with white to pink butterfly-like flowers dancing above the foliage from spring to fall.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 0.6–1.2 m (2–4 ft) tall and 0.6–0.9 m (2–3 ft) wide; fast growth, about 2 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.45) from the #1 install size.
Bloom
White flowers, May–Oct (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaura : May–Oct |
Design notes
- Deep taproot: tolerates drought, dislikes moving.
- Cut back by half in midsummer if floppy.
Regions
Native range: Texas and Louisiana.
Not recorded as native to any of the three pilot regions.
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Gaura
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.