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‘Whirling Butterflies’, Gaura lindheimeri – Summer Long Flower Power from a North American Native
This captivating plant lives up to its common name as it produces many small flowers on long arching stems that truly give the impression of whirling white butterflies in the garden. The charming small white flowers last only one day, but are reliably produced from early summer through to late autumn. While it is native to the Texas / Louisiana area, it has shown an ability to survive long dry spells. A distant cousin of Evening Primrose, ‘Whirling Butterflies’ has lance-like leaves more numerous towards the base of the plant, becoming smaller and more sparse above the base. The gradually less leafy and thin flowering stems enhance the soft texture and whirling impression the flowers give. Somewhat attractive to bees, I have not seen many butterflies visiting this plant. ‘Whirling Butterflies’ provides white flowers, while the variety called ‘Siskiyou Pink’ has pink flowers on a slightly shorter plant.
Gaura lindheimeri mixes well with low water plants, especially ornamental grasses with which the flower stems can intermingle in a summer breeze. It doesn’t mind the heat, so it is also great along a wall with southern or western exposure.
PLANT STATS
Scientific Name: Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’. Several cultivars such as ‘Siskiyou Pink’, ‘Pink Cloud’, ‘Cloud of Butterflies’, and ‘Summer Breeze’.
Plant Type: Perennial
Mature Height: 24”-48”
Mature Spread: 24”-36”
Cold Hardiness Zone: 5 – 9. Protect roots in colder areas with mulch. Some cultivars may not be as cold hardy as ‘Whirling Butterflies’.
Water Requirement: Moderate water needs, but is drought tolerant. Prefers well-drained soil.
Exposure: Full Sun to light shade.
Flower Color & Bloom Time: Flowers are white in ‘Whirling Butterflies’, pink in some cultivars such as ‘Siskiyou Pink’. Blooms appear in early summer and continue in fall through the first frost.
Winter Interest: The long wispy flower stems remain, peppered with seeds produced from the former flowers.
Best Features: Attractive four petaled flowers that appear over a long period. Flowers are borne on long wispy stems that whirl in the breeze. This plant starts flowering in the middle of summer and continues flowering through late in the fall.
Disadvantages: The flowering stems arch and can flop over onto to neighboring plants. ‘Whirling Butterflies’ reseeds easily; unknown if the cultivars reseed as easily.
Availability and Sizes: This plant seems to be regularly available. The pink cultivars are seen more often. White-flowered ‘Whirling Butterflies’ is propagated easily by seed.
Maintenance Tip: If you’d like the white ‘Whirling Butterflies’ to naturalize, leave the wiry stems through winter so seeds will be dispersed in your garden. If you want to avoid reseeding, cut and remove the stems with seeds. Pinching it back in early summer may thicken the plant, providing more blooming stems.
Wildlife Value: Bees are moderately attracted to this plant. With its long flowering season, it is one of the last flowers available to bees in fall.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
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20 Trees to Plant for Amazing Fall Color in Your Landscape
The Colorado Front Range has some of the best fall weather to be had in the United States. When it comes to interesting fall foliage color however, Colorado lacks the abundance of color that can be found in other parts of the country. But with the right choice of trees you can enjoy some wonderful foliage fireworks in your own backyard.
Serviceberry
Serviceberries are beautiful tree-like shrubs. They offer great spring flowers, edible berries that attract birds and beautiful fall color. They are also good choices for water wise landscapes.
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry – Amalanchier x grandiflora 12’ Ht x 10’ W
Shadblow Serviceberry – Amalanchier canadensis 12’ Ht x 10’ W
Crabbapple
The popular ornamental trees are renowned for their their spring flowers, but these crabapples provide excellent fall interest as well.
Indian Summer – Malus ‘Indian Summer’ Orange-red fall color. 18’ Ht x 18’ W
Lancelot – Malus ‘Lancelot’ Yellow-gold fall color. 10’ Ht x 8’ W
Prairiefire – Malus ‘Prairiefire’ Orange-red fall color. 20’ Ht x 20’ W
Spring Snow – Malus ‘Spring Snow’ Yellow fall color. 20’ Ht x 20’ W
Ash
Autumn Purple – Fraxinus Americana As if it glows from within the center of the tree, this Ash is a sight to behold. The color is a mixture of gold to bronze-purple. 50’ Ht x 30’ W
Fall Gold – Fraxinus nigra The bright yellow gold of this tree is great against a crisp blue Colorado fall sky. 40’ Ht x 25’ W
Ornamental Pear
You can find these often planted along streets and in commercial landscapes. They provide spring flowers and fall color in relatively compact form.
Autumn Blaze – Pyrus calleryana ‘Autumn Blaze’ Orange red fall color. 30’ Ht x 25’ W
Chanticleer – Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’ Orange red fall color in an upright form. 35’ Ht x 15’ W
Cottonwood
Just like their cousin the Aspen, Cottonwoods are known for their yellow gold leaves. Although they are not recommended for residential yards due to their size and tendency to sucker, they are wonderful in large areas with native planting schemes, especially in wetter areas like drainages and ravines.
Plains – Populus sargentii 60’ Ht x 50’ W
Narrowleaf – Populus angustifolia 75’ Ht x 40’ W
Lanceleaf – Populus acuminate 50’ Ht x 30’ W
Maple
These maple trees will provide great red to orange-red color for your landscape. The Autumn Flame is gorgeous, but it can suffer chlorosis in our alkaline soils. Amur and Tatarian are the most fool-proof choices for our soils and climate.
Amur – Acer ginnala 20’ Ht x 10’ W
Bigtooth – Acer grandidentatum 25’ Ht x 25’ W
Autumn Blaze – Acer x fremanii ‘Autumn Blaze’ 50-40’ Ht x 30-40’ W
Tatarian Maple – Acer tataricum 25’ Ht x 20’ W
Oak
Several of the Oak species are wise choices for Colorado Front Range climate and soils. And a few of these offer nice fall foliage as well.
Chinkapin Oak – Quercus muehlenbergii Yellow fall color. 35-50’ Ht x 35-50’ W
English Oak – Quercus robur Golden yellow fall color. 40-60’ Ht x 30-40’ W
Northern Red Oak – Quercus rubra Bronze to wine red fall color. 40-60’ Ht x 40-60’ W
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
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Outdoor Design Group on Team Completing Premier China Resort Master Plan
The team of landscape architects at Outdoor Design Group, Inc. are thrilled to be partnering with Bud Surles Signature Resorts of Victor, Idaho to create a master plan for an exclusive new resort project in Tangshan Bay, China. The 285 acre park and resort on the Pacific coast will be one of the first of it’s kind to be completed in China, and will feature commercial space, lakes, trails, water features, marinas, and numerous active recreational amenities.
Outdoor Design Group, Inc. was founded in 2004 by Denver landscape architect Matt Corrion. The firm’s office is located in Olde Town Arvada, Colorado. Additional details about the Tangshan Bay Resort project will be shared as they become available. For more information please contact Outdoor Design Group at 303-993-4811.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.