Common Names: Butterfly Bush, Wand Flower,
Bee Blossom, Whirling Butterflies, Lindheimer’s beeblossom, Lindheimer’s clockweed, Indian feather
Origin: North America
- Gorgeous cottage plant
- Attracts bees & butterflies
- Tall pink or white flowers
A delicately flowering perennial shrub, Gaura is a very popular choice for cottage and culinary gardens. Its flowers bloom atop tall spikes that tower above the foliage in early spring and continue to flower throughout summer into autumn. Being at the end of such long, slender stems, the flowers wave around in the breeze, giving the appearance of fluttering butterflies, hence its other common name – Butterfly Bush. The flowers come in white and pinks ranging from a soft, baby pink to an almost reddish purple. These flowers attract both bees and butterflies to your garden, which is very beneficial for those with vegetable gardens and orchards.
Plant Type: Shrub, annual, biennial or perennial depending on variety
Uses: Birds & Bee Attracting, Garden Filler
Garden Types: Pots & Containers, Modern, Hampton, Cottage, Edible
Care
Sun Requirements: Prefers a full sun position but will also grow in part shade.
Water Requirements: Water regularly when first planted. Once established they are self sufficient.
Soil Requirements: Prefers well-drained loamy soil and grows better in harsher environments. If the soil is too rich they become leggy. They do not grow well in soggy soils as their tap root can rot out.
Fertilizing: Charlie Carp All Purpose or Slow release fertiliser in spring and summer. Not required once established.
Pruning: Not necessary unless plant requires neatening or removal of dead material.
Tolerances: Drought, sun, poor soils, root compaction, pollution, and light frost. Doesn’t like soggy or prolonged wet soils.
Diseases: Aphids, spider mites, leaf miners and whiteflies
Key Features
Flower: Zygomorphic flowers with 4 petals and obvious stamen. Flower stems can reach 1.5m tall above the foliage with no leaves on the stem. White, light pink to dark pink.
Foliage: Lance shaped leaves that form in a basal rosette. Leaves are green with pink flowering varieties showing a tinge of deep pink at the tips.
Edible: No
Toxicity: N/A
Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Beneficial insects
Which Gaura To Choose?
Having trouble deciding which Gaura is right for your job? Check out our quick comparison chart below!
| What does it look like? | Flower Colour | Flower Height | Max. Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White |  | White | Approx 30-50cm above foliage | 90cm x 90cm |
| Pink |  | Pink | Approx 30-50cm above foliage | 90cm x 90cm |
| BELLEZA® Dark Pink | | Dark Pink | 10-30cm above foliage | 30-40cm x 50cm |
| BELLEZA® Compact Light Pink |  | Light Pink | 10-30cm above foliage | 30-40cm x 50cm |
| Candy Stripe |  | White with thin Pink edge | 50-70cm above foliage | 1m x 80cm |
| Rosy Jane | | White with dark pink edges | 20-40cm above foliage | 30-60cm x 30-60cm |
| Geyser White | | White | 30-40cm above foliage | 90cm x 60cm |
| Geyser Pink |  | Pink | 30-40cm above foliage | 90cm x 60cm |
