Gaura lindheimeri
Butterfly Gaura · Lindheimer's beeblossom · White gaura · Lindheimer's clockweed · Indian Feather
Description
Source: leafsnapGaura lindheimeri, commonly known as the wandflower or bee blossom, is a perennial flowering plant native to North America. It belongs to the Onagraceae family and is celebrated for its delicate and airy appearance. Typically, this plant reaches up to 3 feet in height and features slender stems with lance-shaped, green or reddish leaves. The wandflower produces clusters of small, four-petaled flowers that bloom from late spring through fall. These flowers are generally white or pink and emit a subtle fragrance that attracts bees and butterflies, aiding in pollination. Gaura lindheimeri is a hardy plant that thrives in full sun but can also tolerate partial shade. It prefers well-drained soil but is capable of adapting to various soil types, provided they are not overly wet. This plant has become popular among gardeners due to its low maintenance requirements, drought tolerance, and extended blooming period. It also adds a graceful touch to mixed borders or rock gardens. Overall, Gaura lindheimeri is a visually appealing perennial with delicate blooms that enhance the beauty of any garden.
🌳 Lindheimer's beeblossom’s attractiveness conceals underused practical value; its oily seeds make it excellent for biofuel production. Those seeds provide a route to eco-friendly energy and bioplastics, symbolizing a revolution in sustainable living. It also serves as a host plant for a variety of insects, highlighting its multiple benefits.
🎭 Beauty, love, and heart
Care Guide
💧 Water Every 3 days
Water your gaura plant when the top few inches of soil feel dry. They prefer infrequent but deep watering. Gaura's taproot is deep-rooted into the ground, so you want to water thoroughly for the soil to be evenly saturated.
☀️ Light Full sun
Lindheimer's beeblossom grows best when it receives abundant sunlight. This preference reflects its native habitat, which is characterized by plentiful sun. The plant can tolerate mixed-sun conditions but flourishes most under generous light. Excessive shade or insufficient light can impede strong growth, producing less vigorous plants.
🌡️ Temperature 5–35°C
The lindheimer's beeblossom plant is native to warm climates and prefers a temperature range of 41 to 95 ℉ (5 to 35 ℃). In summer, the plant will do well at higher temperatures but may need some shade during the hottest part of the day to avoid heat exhaustion. In cooler months, it will continue to thrive provided temperatures stay above freezing, though it may require protection during frosts.
💨 Humidity
🪴 Soil 5-7
🌱 Fertilizer
The best time to fertilize a Lindheimer's beeblossom is in early spring, as it comes out of dormancy and begins active growth. Fertilizing supplies essential nutrients needed for healthy development. While Lindheimer's beeblossom has fairly low fertilizer requirements, applying fertilizer annually can improve its survival and encourage better, longer-lasting flowers.
🪴 Pot & Repot 2-3 years
When repotting Lindheimer's beeblossom, select a pot 1-2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) larger that has ample drainage. Use a well-draining potting mix. Repot in spring or fall, making sure the root ball sits slightly lower than the rim of the flower pot. Water thoroughly after repotting and place it in a warm location with indirect sunlight.
✂️ Pruning
Trim and pinch the tips of your plant's limbs to encourage bushier growth. Deadheading is usually unnecessary, but removing spent flowers can encourage profuse blooming. When its flowers start fading, cut the flower stalk at the base. This will promote a second round of flowering in the fall.
🌿 Propagating
🐛 Diseases & pets
☠️ Toxicity
Gaura has no reported toxic traits to humans or animals.
Characteristics
- Plant Type
- Herb
- Life Cycle
- Perennial
- Genus
- Gaura
- Family
- Onagraceae
- Hardiness Zone
- 5-10
- Mature Height
- 0.49 m to 1.52 m
- Mature Spread
- 61 cm to 91 cm
- Leaf Color
- Green, Yellow, Gold
- Leaf Type
- Deciduous
- Flower Color
- Pink, White
- Flower Size
- 2.03 cm to 3.05 cm
- Bloom Time
- Late spring, Summer
- Planting Time
- Spring
- Harvest Time
- Summer, Early fall
- Native Area
- North America