Gaura lindheimeri 'Papillon'
Butterfly gaura
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Supplied as an established plant in a 3 litre pot
Aspect
Full sun
Hardiness
Hardy in most parts of the UK, but it can be short-lived, especially on heavier or wetter soils, and may be cut back or lost in cold, wet winters. Sharp drainage greatly improves its chances, and a light winter mulch helps in colder or wetter gardens.
Flowers
Summer
Soil
Loam, sand, chalk
About this plant
A long summer of dancing white butterflies
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Description
Gaura lindheimeri 'Papillon' is an airy, clump-forming perennial grown for its long display of delicate white flowers that hover like tiny butterflies on slender, wiry stems. Opening from pink buds and fading to soft pink, the blooms appear over a remarkably long season from early summer to the first frosts, swaying and dancing in the slightest breeze. Light and graceful, it weaves beautifully through borders, gravel and prairie-style plantings, and is a magnet for bees and butterflies.
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Why we like it
Key features
What makes it special
Long flowering, late spring into summer
Loved by bees & pollinators
Specs & details
The particulars
- Botanical name
- Gaura lindheimeri 'Papillon'
- Common name
- Butterfly gaura
- Supplied as
- 3 litre pot
- Flower colour
- White
- Eventual height
- 60-90cm (airy flower stems)
- Eventual spread
- 45-50cm
- Flowering period
- Summer
- Habit
- Clump-forming perennial with airy, wiry flowering stems
- Life cycle
- Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness
- Hardy in most parts of the UK, but it can be short-lived, especially on heavier or wetter soils, and may be cut back or lost in cold, wet winters. Sharp drainage greatly improves its chances, and a light winter mulch helps in colder or wetter gardens.
- Aspect
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, sand, chalk
- Moisture
- Well-drained
- Position
- Front or mid-border, gravel garden, container
- Plant spacing
- Space around 40cm apart (approximately 6 plants per m²)
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
Plant calendar
When to plant, when it performs
Planting & care
Help it thrive
Planting guide
Plant in spring into light, well-drained soil in full sun, so it can establish before winter. Sharp drainage matters more than anything, so add grit on heavy soils and avoid rich, damp ground, which makes the stems flop and can cause rotting over winter. Water in well and through the first season, then sparingly. Space plants around 40cm apart, or grow through neighbouring perennials for support.
Care tips
Water in the first season to establish, then only in prolonged drought, as it is very drought-tolerant. Feed sparingly, since rich conditions cause floppy growth and fewer flowers. Cut the whole plant back by about a third in early summer if it starts to sprawl, to encourage a bushier, more floriferous second flush. Remove spent flower stems to prolong flowering and reduce self-seeding. Tidy old growth in spring, not autumn.