A graceful, hazy plant with airy spikes of white, star-shaped flowers with long anthers like daddy long-legs, held on slender stems from May to September. This exceptionally long-flowering perennial looks equally at home in an informal cottage-style garden or among soft grasses in a new perennial border. It is exceptionally drought-tolerant and will soak up the sun. Give it space, as its wispy stems will lean over plants and pathways.
How to care for Oenothera lindheimeri:
Resist the temptation to cut back after the plant has flowered, as it takes on beautiful autumn tints, particularly in cold weather. Cut back and divide large colonies in spring.
Please be aware that purplish-brown spotting can appear on gauras at certain times of the year and/or certain times in the plant's life cycle. This is not a disease but a physiological response to cold temperatures, and occurs when new growth has encountered unseasonably chilly conditions. It will not affect the plant's vigour or flowering potential and will often improve in warmer weather.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Eventual height:
1.5m
Eventual spread:
0.9m
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Borderline hardy (will need protection in winter in colder areas)
-
This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.