Some might find Gaura to be too tall, flimsy, or "weedy-looking," giving a planting an untidy appearance, but Biennial Gaura establishes in a prairie planting early, like Black-eyed Susans, giving the area much-deserved color in year two and blooming in the somewhat dreary month of September.  First-year rosettes will appear easily from seed, and the plant will put on 4-6' in its second year.  The numerous late-season flowers atop each stem are usually light pink but can take on almost a pure white or deep reddish-pink color.  Four petals and eight yellow stamens make up each flower. 

 

 

Large-flowered Gaura, a closely-related species, appears more in Southern states but does not have larger flowers as the name suggests.  The only distinguishing feature is that Large-flowered Gaura has curled hairs lying against the stem instead of hairs that stick out on the stem, as on Biennial Gaura.

 

Seeds / Packet: 200
Seeds / Ounce: 2,700