Native Plants

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Monday - May 14, 2007

From: Childress, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Gaura coccinea for xeric garden
Answered by: Damon Waitt

QUESTION:

Is Scarlet Gaura (Gaura coccinea) a good plant for a small xeric garden? How invasive is it?

ANSWER:

Gaura coccinea (scarlet beeblossom) is a 1-2 ft., colongy-forming perennial with several stems, branched near base. The stems and narrowly oblong leaves may or may not be covered with gray hairs. Honeysuckle-like flowers occur on a spike-like inflorescence, 1-12 in. long, which blooms from the bottom to top. The leafy stems of this grayish plant are branched, grow in clumps, and bear at the tips reddish-pink, nodding racemes. Only one ring of the flowers are in bloom at a time. The fragrant flowers are white at first, fading to pink and finally scarlet, all in the same day.

Scarlet gaura is extremely easy and care-free. While not considered invasive, due to extensive rhizomes, it will form large colonies.