Description
Gaura –
There are about 20 species of annuals, biennials, perennials and subshrubs, in this genus. They occur in moist places and prairies in North America. They have alternate, simple, rosetted, lance shaped to elliptic or spoon shaped, pinnatifid, mainly basal leaves, and airy racemes or panicles of short-lived, flat, irregularly star shaped, pink or white flowers, usually 4 petalled. They are graceful plants in a border.
Grow in light, fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun, but drought and partial shade is tolerated. Cut to ground after flowering.
Prone to rust, Cercospora leaf spots, Septoria leaf spots, downy mildew and powdery mildew.
G. biennis – This subshrubby, hairy annual or biennial from Texas and Louisiana grows 6′ feet tall and 4′ feet wide. It produces stem leaves to 5″ long and basal leaves to 16″ long, both are narrowly elliptic with irregular edges. In summer it bears racemes, 4-20″ long, of white flowers, to 1 ½” across, fading to reddish pink. Stems and foliage are flushed coral-red in late summer.
Zones 6-9
