Plant profile
Botanical name: Gaura lindheimeri
German name: Magnificent candle
Family: Evening primrose family (Onagraceae)
Flowering time: July to October
Flower colours: White, pink, lavender
Foliage: Summer green
Growth habit: Deciduous ornamental perennial, up to 100 cm tall
Origin: South North America
Details of the Gaura lindheimeri
Hardly any perennial brings as much lightness to the late-summer garden as the gaura. Its butterfly-shaped blooms sway with every breath of wind on fine, wiry stems – an effect that has earned it the fitting English name „Whirling Butterflies“. Each individual flower lasts for only a day, but is immediately replaced by the next: thus, under good conditions, the gaura continues to flower from July well into October, often with a gentle colour change from white in the morning to delicate pink in the evening.
Position and care
The gaura loves a fully sunny, sheltered spot with permeable, rather dry soil. On heavy, nutrient-rich soils, it is worth adding sand or gravel to prevent waterlogging. Once established, it readily seeds itself, and anyone who prunes it back after flowering encourages the formation of new overwintering buds for the following year.
Use in the garden
Whether planted singly or in groups, the gaura adds light, dancing accents to sunny borders, gravel beds and rose gardens. It looks particularly lovely in combination with lavender, as does our reference „Small garden, big impact“ shows: There, gaura and lavender, together with cranesbill and grasses, create a fragrant, natural counterpoint next to the outdoor kitchen. The gaura also looks great in a container on the patio.
