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Gaura lindheimeri

16 years ago

I noticed that a couple of you have this plant. I just picked one up today. Sharon, you must have yours in a pot because you overwinter it. Can you post a picture of yours, if you have one of it. Is it worth overwintering or should I consider it an annual?

Also, I originally thought that I would put it into a mixed container but after searching, it looks like it fills the pot all on its own, without company. How does everyone else use it in your garden?

Shauna

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Comments (5)

sazzyrose
16 years ago
I put a couple in pots, and have one to go in the ground.
This is the first year I have grown it. There are different varieties. The ones I bought are the smaller variety. I can't remember the name off hand right now. I'm hoping that I'll get some seeds to try sowing with for next year.

Shelley
luv2gro
Original Author
16 years ago
Mine is called 'Pink Fountain' and it grows 2' - 3'. The greenhouse had it marked as a height feature plant for containers, and I took that to mean the centre plant of a combination pot.

I've searched it and seen it in a couple of combination pots, where it looks kind of non-descript. But, I'm wondering if it would look a bit boring in a pot by itself. Might be one that we just have to experiment a bit with.

Shauna
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Hi Karolina 11 sorry, got no pic, but with Gaura IMO it is very important to "starve" them. In my experience they flop badly if fertilizer or regular irrigation is applied. ------- I think part of their charm is the slightly unruly semitransparent growth. I keep them together with Verbena bonariense, and their flowers next to each other look great. Both like poor soil as well. I did a planting scheme for a kind of "gravel bed theme with naturalistic/semi-wild look": gritty, well draining soil, full sun. And then I put in some sparsely Gaura, Pennisetum Sedum Matrona (and some cant remember) in well spaced small groups. Accompanied by ground covers like Geranium renardii and other low growing dry-tolerant stuff with delicate foliage. (it just got planted so nothing worth showing) My idea was to give the Gaura enough space to spread or sprawl . And it should grow pretty upright anyway in this soil. ---- My guess is that a Gaura near a rose (which gets annually fertilizer?) isnt such a good combination. There are shorter cultivars like "Whirling Butterfly". And pruning it to make it more compact IMO gets rid of their lovely loose airy habitus. Perhaps you find a sunny spott with poor soil for them, throw in some lavender and stuff and it should be fine. (hope you dont mind the botanical name but I know only so little common names not being a native speaker). Good replanting, I am off now to redo my perennial bed, (yea, finally some spare time), happy autumn, bye, Lin
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I'm inspired! I looked at a single, nicely sized plant at the Excelsior Linder's summer sale about 5 times. I finally made up my mind to buy it and went back, but it was gone. I'll be looking for one this year! Thanks for letting us know.
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Heh, Irma, only since no one is responding to your post, I'll tell you that my Gaura lindheimeri did not fare well over last winter.....................up here in Wisconsin! Big help, I know! FWIW-and I know it's not much-mine was in super-well-drained location in my rock garden. We had a rare low-snow winter though, and that site is one of those places where wind currents, etc, tend to blow the snow off, not pile it on. Tough situation to say the least. Hopefully, you'll get some meaningful replies. +oM
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I've never had issues with Dianthus coming back other than the voles eating them, and even then some sprigs usually survive. I've planted in the fall without issues and I am north of you, I think. Gaura is hit or miss regardless. It wants well-drained soil, and will die in cold winters, especially if there isn't good snow cover, but might survive in milder, dry winters.
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Crazy_Gardener
16 years ago
Hi Shauna, no it didn't survive that spring. It did survive the overwintering in the pumphouse but I brought it up too early and it died shortly after that.

If I ever try this plant again, I'll overwinter it in the house in the cool room downstairs near a window and don't bring it out till May.

Sorry no photo, but I did have it by itself in a 12" pot, I think it would be too busy if you were to combine something at the bottom of it. JMO.

Take photos of yours thou ;)

Sharon
sazzyrose
16 years ago
Oh no, I have mine in a mixed planter with petunias and osteospermum. Looks good now though.
Too late to move things around. I don't have anymore pots.
Mine is Ballerina Rose.

Shelley
jennypat Zone 3b NW MN
16 years ago
I just picked up a couple of these at the garden center the other day. They had it in pots with a lot of other things. BUT the owner of the greenhouse was telling me that in her garden, she put it in front of her echinachea. Which sounds nice! She also told me it is an annual in zone 3.

Now I am wishing I had purchased some for that! I put mine in a hole in my perennial bed.

I might have to see if I can get some seed of this for next year!

Jenny P

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