How to Grow Gaura Plants in your Garden
Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Gaura, Beeblossom, Linda Tarde, and Velvetweed
Plants that belong to the Gaura genus are half hardy annuals or half hardy perennial shrubs that range from 60 cm to 1.2 metres (2 to 4 feet) in height.
Gaura plants bloom from summer through to autumn
They carry spikes of white or pink flowers.
Gaura coccinea - Scarlet gaura by Photogramma1.
Gaura biennis by Gmayfield10; creative commons.
Gaura Plant Growing and Care Guide
Common Names: Gaura, Beeblossom, Linda Tarde, Velvetweed. Gaura: Sweet; Scarlet; Scented; White; Lindheimer's; Downy; Red River.
Life Cycle: Half hardy annual. Half hardy perennial. Biennial.
Height: 6 to 60 inches (15 to 150 cm).
Native: Central and North America.
Growing Region: Zones 3 to 10. As a perennial in zones 6 to 9.
Flower Details: White, pink. Petals point upwards. Four (sometimes three) petals. Spike inflorescence.
Foliage: Basal rosette. Shrubby.
Sow Inside: Germination time: two weeks to one month. Temperature 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C). Annuals: five or six weeks before expected last frost. Perennials: eight or nine weeks in advance. Transplant outdoors: annuals: following the last frost. Perennials: start of spring or autumn.
Family: Onagraceae.
Miscellaneous: Synonymous with Stenosiphon.
How to Grow Gaura Plants in the Garden
When growing Gaura outdoors from seed, sow annual varieties just after the last frost of spring. Sow perennial varieties either at the start of autumn or the start of spring. Lightly cover the Gaura seeds once sown.
Ideally the plants should be spaced at about 60 to 90 cm (2 to 3 feet) apart.
Locate in a sunny part of the garden, that has good drainage and an ordinary soil.
If starting off indoors, then sow out seeds about 5 weeks (annuals) or 10 weeks (perennials) in advance.
Gaura germination takes from two to five weeks at a temperature of 18 to 24 degrees centigrade (64 to 75°F).
Transplant annual Gaura varieties out in the garden following the last frost. Transplant perennials in the autumn or just before the last frost.
Caring for Gaura Plants
It is easy to look after Gaura plants, they are naturally from dry areas of central America and can thus tolerate drought. So there is no need to water them.
If you remove spent flowers, the blooming period will be prolonged.
During the second year of growth, it is a good idea to cut back the plant to about 25 cm (10 inches) in height. This will encourage them to branch and become more shrub like.
If you require further plants, then propagate perennial Gaura by division in the spring or autumn.
I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Gaura plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Evening Primrose, Dragonroot plant, and Zauschneria plants.
If you enjoy the information on this site, then you'll love my book: The Gardener's HQ Plant Growing Guide. Available for Kindle (MOBI), iPad (ePub) and as a PDF.
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