Gaura lindheimeri – Whirling Butterflies
Also known as Butterfly Bush, Wand Flower, Bee Blossom, Whirling Butterflies, Lindheimer's Beeblossom, Lindheimer's Clockweed and Indian Feather. A gorgeous cottage-style perennial originating from North America, beloved for its soft, airy clouds of white and pink blooms that flutter like butterflies in the breeze.
- Attracts bees, butterflies & beneficial pollinators
- Soft pink or white flowers, often with a two-tone blush effect
- Long, elegant wand-like stems give a natural meadow style
- Perfect for borders, cottage gardens & wildflower plantings
- Heat and drought tolerant once established
- Long flowering season: spring through autumn
A delicately flowering perennial shrub, Gaura is a very popular choice for cottage and culinary gardens. Its flowers bloom atop tall spikes that tower above the foliage in early spring and continue to flower throughout summer into autumn. Being at the end of such long, slender stems, the flowers wave around in the breeze, giving the appearance of fluttering butterflies, hence its other common name – Butterfly Bush. The flowers come in white and pinks ranging from a soft, baby pink to an almost reddish purple. These flowers attract both bees and butterflies to your garden, which is very beneficial for those with vegetable gardens and orchards.
Plant Type: Shrub, annual, biennial or perennial depending on variety
Uses: Birds & Bee Attracting, Garden Filler
Garden Types: Pots & Containers, Modern, Hampton, Cottage, Edible
Care
Sun Requirements: Prefers a full sun position but will also grow in part shade.
Water Requirements: Water regularly when first planted. Once established they are self sufficient.
Soil Requirements: Prefers well-drained loamy soil and grows better in harsher environments. If the soil is too rich they become leggy. They do not grow well in soggy soils as their tap root can rot out.
Fertilizing: Charlie Carp All Purpose or Slow release fertiliser in spring and summer. Not required once established.
Pruning: Not necessary unless plant requires neatening or removal of dead material.
Tolerances: Drought, sun, poor soils, root compaction, pollution, and light frost. Doesn’t like soggy or prolonged wet soils.
Diseases: Aphids, spider mites, leaf miners and whiteflies
Key Features
If you’d love to discover even more Gaura options, we invite you to explore our wider collection online. Simply type “Gaura” into the search bar on our website to browse current availability — including seasonal releases, limited-edition colours, multi-toned blooms, and exciting new introductions that appear throughout the year. Our range often expands with fresh varieties that offer unique flower markings, compact or taller growth habits, and improved garden performance, so there’s always something new for Gaura lovers to enjoy. Let your garden find its perfect match and experience the lasting charm these graceful, butterfly-like flowers bring to every landscape.
| Variety | What does it look like? | Flower Colour | Flower Height | Max. Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White |
 |
White | Approx 30–50cm above foliage | 90cm x 90cm |
| Pink |
|
Pink | Approx 30–50cm above foliage | 90cm x 90cm |
| BELLEZA® Dark Pink |
|
Dark Pink | 10–30cm above foliage | 30–40cm x 50cm |
| BELLEZA® Compact Light Pink |
 |
Light Pink | 10–30cm above foliage | 30–40cm x 50cm |
| Candy Stripe |
 |
White with thin pink edge | 50–70cm above foliage | 1m x 80cm |
| Rosy Jane |
 |
White with dark pink edges | 20–40cm above foliage | 30–60cm x 30–60cm |
| Geyser White |
 |
White | 30–40cm above foliage | 90cm x 60cm |
| Geyser Pink |
 |
Pink | 30–40cm above foliage | 90cm x 60cm |
