Hello! 

“Untidy but still an attractive species,” writes Minnesota Wildflowers about Biennial Gaura (Oenothera gaura). While I’m not sure why they’re calling out Biennial Gaura for being untidy, they’re right that it’s an attractive member of the primrose family.

Biennial Gaura grows to six feet tall in full sun, usually as a volunteer wildflower in disturbed areas. It grows easily from seed. In its first year, it forms a basal rosette and doesn’t flower. In the second year, it blooms, sets seed, and dies. The seeds start a new plant nearby, and the cycle continues. (If you’ve grown Common Evening Primrose, this process will sound familiar.) Because of its lanky stem, Biennial Gaura has a floppy, windblown look, which probably contributes to its untidy reputation but also to its ability to reseed in new and exciting locations.

What Makes Biennial Gaura Great

But enough about its untidy appearance. Let’s talk about why this flower is so appealing: it gets better with age. Initially, the flowers are white or pale pink. As the blooms fade, they turn a bold pink. And, in classic primrose fashion, new flowers bloom nightly from mid- to late summer. The fruits left behind are diamond-shaped and wrap around the stem, giving it a braided look. It stands out!

Humans aren’t the only ones who find Biennial Gaura fetching. Bees, moths, and birds do too. It’s a larval host for the Primrose Moth and the Gaura Moth, which feed on its flowers and seeds.  

Should you grow it?

Why might you grow Oenothera gaura? If you’re starting a wildflower patch from seed, it’s a good addition (if it’s not already in the mix). It will add color and interest in the early years while the perennials establish. It’s also a volunteer plant (some might call it a weed) that you can leave in your garden if it happens to pop up somewhere. It’ll move on in its own time! 

Elsewhere: 

In this article from Penn State Extension, one homeowner has what may be Pennsylvania's most impressive DIY rain barrel set-up. 

Have a good week, 

Julie