Gaura

Gaura lindheimeri 'Siskiyou Pink'

Native Gaura is also known as whirling butterflies, since the blooms look like white butterflies. ‘Siskiyou Pink’ is a cultivar featuring pink blooms.

Both prefer full sun and well-drained soil that’s been amended with organic matter. Gaura gets about two feet tall and wide, but can be double that in the ideal environment, so don’t be tempted to overplant.

Gaura is a wildflower in some areas, and needs very little care to survive and thrive, making it a great choice for busy gardeners that may not have a lot of time for maintenance.

Water sparingly, and only during the hottest, driest times once established. Hardy all the way down to Zone 5, Gaura easily survive the cold of winter, but being so xeric, they may be taken out by too much rainfall if winter rain is abundant.

This bushy plant will be covered in flowers from spring all the way through fall, making it especially attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Once one series of blooms are spent, a light shearing to deadhead will encourage more blooms, but isn’t necessary, unless you’re so motivated.