Gaura lindheimeri (Oenothera lindheimeri), or Lindheimer's beeblossom, is a lovely perennial with butterfly-shaped flowers in shades of pink and white. Kevin Espiritu will share our growing guide that gives you all the tips to perfect perennials.Beautiful in wildflower gardens, Gaura lindheimeri is more commonly known as Lindheimer’s beeblossom. Named after the German-born botanist Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer, gaura plant is from the family Onagraceae. In 2007, its name was changed to Oenothera lindheimeri, however many nurseries still use gaura to identify it.
The white flowers or bright pink flowers it produces look like butterflies, and it’s got a long blooming season. Drought-tolerant, this garden perennial looks best when it’s allowed to sprawl out and naturalize. It’s good for xeriscaping as well!
A warm weather loving species, the butterfly plant is well worth adding to your garden beds. Let’s talk about everything that beeblossom can offer for your landscaping needs!Gaura lindheimeri is part of family Onagraceae, a species of Oenothera. Its new botanical name is Oenothera lindheimeri. Some of its common names include Indian feather, Lindheimer’s clockweed, white gaura, pink, and Lindheimer’s beeblossom.Native to North America, Gaura lindheimeri is most commonly found in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. It thrives in areas with well-drained soils and tolerates dry and sandy conditions, reflecting its adaptation to the region’s natural environment. This perennial plant is accustomed to full sun and open spaces, making it a resilient choice for gardens with similar climates. Its delicate, butterfly-like flowers mimic the graceful, wild beauty of its native habitat.An herbaceous perennial, it can reach heights of up to five feet tall. Its stems are clad with long, spearpoint-like leaves about three inches in length. The flower spikes are wiry and tall, with pinkish buds that open to become white or pink flowers.
From early spring until the first frosts in the fall, it will bloom white or pink flowers. This long bloom time has a lot to do with how it flowers. Only a few flowers appear at at time on each of the flower spikes. As they fade and drop from the stem, new ones open.
Each of the white or pink flowers has four petals and a little cluster of long stamens that burst from the center of the flower. The four petals look a bit like the shape of a butterfly, which is where cultivars like ‘Whirling Butterflies’ get their name. A sport of the original known as ‘Siskiyou Pink’ is from which all pink-colored gaura is derived.
Gaura lindheimeri can be container-grown, but does just as well as a border plant or clustered together in a garden bed. It’s a prized addition for a native plant garden.
The plant has won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit for several varieties. Popular cultivars include:
‘Siskiyou Pink’: A rose-pink cultivar that forms from deep maroon buds that bloom into more intensely colored petals, averaging 18-24″ tall.
‘Whirling Butterflies’: White blooms with reddish stems. It averages two to five feet tall.
‘Cherry Brandy’: A deep rose pink tinged gaura with ruby-colored to pink buds, more compact at 12-18″ tall.
‘Corrie’s Gold’: White flowers tinged with pink. The green foliage is edged with yellow, and compact at 18″.
‘Snowstorm’: A white variety that is not as cold-hardy as others but flowers heavily.An herbaceous perennial, it can reach heights of up to five feet tall. Its stems are clad with long, spearpoint-like leaves about three inches in length. The flower spikes are wiry and tall, with pinkish buds that open to become white or pink flowers.
From early spring until the first frosts in the fall, it will bloom white or pink flowers. This long bloom time has a lot to do with how it flowers. Only a few flowers appear at at time on each of the flower spikes. As they fade and drop from the stem, new ones open.
Each of the white or pink flowers has four petals and a little cluster of long stamens that burst from the center of the flower. The four petals look a bit like the shape of a butterfly, which is where cultivars like ‘Whirling Butterflies’ get their name. A sport of the original known as ‘Siskiyou Pink’ is from which all pink-colored gaura is derived.
Gaura lindheimeri can be container-grown, but does just as well as a border plant or clustered together in a garden bed. It’s a prized addition for a native plant garden.
The plant has won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit for several varieties. Popular cultivars include:
‘Siskiyou Pink’: A rose-pink cultivar that forms from deep maroon buds that bloom into more intensely colored petals, averaging 18-24″ tall.
‘Whirling Butterflies’: White blooms with reddish stems. It averages two to five feet tall.
‘Cherry Brandy’: A deep rose pink tinged gaura with ruby-colored to pink buds, more compact at 12-18″ tall.
‘Corrie’s Gold’: White flowers tinged with pink. The green foliage is edged with yellow, and compact at 18″.
‘Snowstorm’: A white variety that is not as cold-hardy as others but flowers heavily.