Gaura Lindheimeri 'Belleza Dark Pink'

Belleza™ Dark Pink Gaura / Whirling Butterflies

Botanical Name: Gaura lindheimeri ‘Belleza Dark Pink’ (syn. Oenothera lindheimeri)
Family: Onagraceae
Origin: South-central USA (Texas) – garden cultivar selection
Plant Type: Evergreen to semi-evergreen perennial (airy, clump-forming; short-lived perennial/subshrub)

Overview

A compact, free-flowering gaura bred for months of deep pink blooms on fine, dancing wands. In Adelaide/SA it thrives in full sun, heat and lean, well-drained soils, making a superb low-maintenance feature for borders, gravel/Mediterranean plantings and pots. Continuous colour spring to late autumn with quick rebloom after a light shear.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 0.4–0.6 m H × 0.4–0.6 m W (naturally compact)
• Growth Rate: 20–40 cm per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Narrow, lanceolate mid- to grey-green leaves; young stems often reddish; foliage may bronze slightly in cool weather
• Flowers: Dark pink, 4-petalled “butterfly” flowers on airy stems; heaviest spring–autumn with light flushes in warm spells
  
• Seasonal Interest: Very long flowering window with graceful movement; neat basal clump in winter
• Wildlife Value: Nectar for bees and butterflies
• Tolerance: Drought- and heat-tolerant once established; wind-tolerant; second-line coastal OK; light frost (protect from hard frosts in the Hills); dislikes waterlogging/heavy clay
• Planting Density: Edging: 3 per metre (≈ 30–40 cm centres); Mass: 5–7 plants/m²; Containers: 25–30 cm pots; shear to rebloom
• Pet Friendly: Generally non-toxic; any plant ingestion may upset pets

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun (best bloom) to light part shade (fewer flowers)
• Soil: Free-draining sandy/loam; thrives on neutral–alkaline (calcareous) Adelaide soils; raise/mound on clay to avoid winter wet
• Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 2–3 weeks in summer (weekly in heatwaves); minimal in winter
• Maintenance: Dead-head or shear by ~⅓ after flushes to trigger fast rebloom; light tip-prune for shape; cut back hard in late winter to a low mound; feed lightly in spring (too much N = floppy growth)
• Lifespan: 3–5+ years in sharp drainage (often treated as a short-lived perennial)
• Climate Zones: Temperate & Mediterranean SA—excellent on Adelaide Plains and second-line coastal; choose frost-sheltered, free-draining sites in the Hills
• Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline (tolerates slightly acidic if well-drained)

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Cottage/Mediterranean borders with salvias, grasses & lavenders
• Gravel gardens and low-water streetside beds with year-long motion
• Containers for sunny courtyards and alfresco colour

Why You Will Love It

A compact, months-long bloomer that laughs at Adelaide heat, adds movement and deep pink colour with very little fuss—perfect for sunny borders, gravel gardens and pots.