Gaura Lindheimeri 'Belleza White'
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Belleza™ White Gaura / Whirling Butterflies
Botanical Name: Gaura lindheimeri ‘Belleza White’ (syn. Oenothera lindheimeri)
Family: Onagraceae
Origin: South-central USA (Texas) – garden cultivar selection
Plant Type: Evergreen to semi-evergreen perennial (airy, clump-forming)
Overview
A compact, free-flowering gaura bred for months of pure white “butterfly” blooms on fine, dancing wands. In Adelaide/SA it thrives in full sun, heat and lean, well-drained soils, making an effortless choice for borders, gravel/Mediterranean plantings and pots. Flowers from spring through late autumn, rebounding fast 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
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Flowers: White, 4-petalled “whirling butterflies” on airy stems; peak spring–autumn with spot flushes in warm spells
- Seasonal Interest: Very long flowering window; 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 hardy (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 feet
- 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; 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 positions in the Hills
- Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline (tolerates slightly acidic if well-drained)
Landscape & Design Ideas
- Cottage/Mediterranean borders with salvias, lavenders & grasses
- Gravel gardens and low-water streetside beds for movement and light
- Containers for sunny courtyards and alfresco colour
Why You Will Love It
Airy white flowers for months, impressive heat resilience and almost no fuss—perfect for Adelaide borders, gravel gardens and patio pots.