Gaura lindheimeri Passionate Blush

Gaura lindheimeri 'Passionate Blush' may be the prettiest selection of gauras in recent years. It will charm with its denser and more compact habit, which serves a long and generous flowering period in pretty blush pink carried on purple stems. From June to September the plant transforms into a delightful, very flowery clump that stands out in borders and rockeries, even when rainfall is scarce and its neighbours look dull. Its rapid growth and compact habit also allow it to thrive in a pot on the terrace. This sun-loving plant, although short-lived, is indispensable in a flowering garden.

Gaura lindheimeri belongs to the Onagraceae family and is a cousin of evening primroses. Its natural range is located on the borders of Mexico and the United States (prairies and pine forests of Louisiana and Texas, Houston). It is one of the most floriferous plants. 'Passionate Blush' has a fairly compact clump-forming habit. It is a deciduous perennial which grows in spring and rests in winter. It forms, from a basal rosette, a bushy clump, slightly spreading, 50 cm (20in) tall, with a spread of 40 cm (16in). It is the purple, branched, numerous and slender flower stems that give the plant its bushy appearance and enhance its charm. The flowering takes place in successive waves, from mid-spring to autumn. The butterfly-like flowers succeed each other, grouped in dense panicles 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20in) long, in a harmony of pale pink to purple-pink tones. The young shoots and flower buds are also remarkably coloured in purplish-red. The foliage is dark green, more or less tinged with purple. The small leaves are hairy on both sides. The root system is a taproot that allows the plant to anchor itself in poor, even rocky soils and to withstand water shortage.

Gauras have become the stars of urban flower beds and gardens in a short time. This success is explained by their incredible floriferousness and the speed with which they develop, even in difficult conditions. These plants, which seem unaffected by the wind, quickly become indispensable for anyone who has tried them for a year. Wherever they are planted, they bring lightness and grace, just like the grasses with which they form beautiful associations. Gaura lindheimeri 'Passionate Blush' has its place in flowerbeds, borders, and in large pots on the terrace. It goes well with roses, grows among shrubs like abelias and deutzias, and accompanies undemanding perennials like salvia nemorosa, lavender, catmints, tree clover (Lespedeza), and carnations. Gaura also thrives in large pots.

The species name comes from the Greek 'gauros' which means magnificent or proud, alluding to its astonishing flowering that resembles butterflies hanging from its stems.