Long Flower Beeblossom

Year-round

Long-Flower Gaura is a tall, airy wildflower whose documented native range covers the Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas tri-state area around Memphis, and it grows well in a sunny, well-drained spot.

• This plant's documented native range includes Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, the three states that make up the Memphis metro area, so it fits well into native or wildlife-friendly plantings here.
• It grows in full sun to partly shaded spots and tolerates many soil types, including clay, loam, sand, and gravel, as long as the spot is not constantly soggy.
• Give it well-drained soil. It can handle dry spells once it is established and also tolerates occasional wet periods, but standing water for long stretches will hurt it.
• It grows tall, up to several feet, with a loose, airy habit. White flowers that fade to pink open in the evening from midsummer into early fall.
• It behaves as a biennial or short-lived perennial: young plants form a low rosette the first year and send up the tall flowering stalk the next year.

Fall

After the first Memphis frost, this gaura dies back for the year, and a fall cleanup plus limiting reseeding keeps beds tidy and manageable.

• After the first fall frost, usually mid to late November in Memphis, the flowering stalks die back for the year.
• This plant self-seeds readily. Trimming off spent flower spikes before seed drop in early fall helps keep it from spreading into spots you do not want it.
• Because it often behaves as a biennial or short-lived perennial, some plants will die out completely after their one strong bloom year. New rosettes from self-sown seed often take their place the next spring.
• Once the stalks turn brown after frost, most gardeners cut them back to keep beds looking maintained through winter.

A fall cutback after frost keeps this plant's dead stalks from looking untidy and is HOA-friendly for front yard beds.

Winter

Winter in Memphis is mild enough that this gaura needs no protection, it just sits dormant as a rosette or bare crown until spring.

• Rosettes and established plants are hardy through typical Memphis winters. This species tolerates USDA zones 4 through 8, and Memphis sits in zone 7b to 8a.
• Do not pile on heavy mulch over the crown. It prefers to stay on the drier side, and soggy winter mulch can cause rot.
• First-year rosettes from seed sit low to the ground through winter. They will send up the tall flowering stalk the following growing season.
• No pruning or feeding is needed in winter. Wait until new growth resumes in spring.

Spring

In the Memphis area, spring after the last frost is the time to plant or let this gaura resume growth, in a spot with good drainage for the season's heavy rain.

• In the Memphis area (USDA zone 7b to 8a), the last frost usually passes by early April. After that, it is a good time to direct sow seed or set out young plants.
• If you already have this plant, new growth will emerge from the base as the soil warms through March and April.
• Memphis gets heavy spring rain and thunderstorms, so make sure the planting spot drains well instead of holding water.
• Skip heavy fertilizing. Rich soil makes the tall stems grow even floppier later in the season.

Summer

Summer is bloom season for this gaura in Memphis, with evening flowers that hold up in the heat and humidity but tall stems that benefit from a little support.

• It blooms from July through September, with white flowers that fade to pink and open in the evening, so it is nice near a spot where you sit outside after dinner.
• Once established, it handles Memphis's hot, humid summers on normal rainfall. Only water extra during a multi-week dry stretch.
• The tall stems can flop over after summer storms and wind, especially without support nearby.
• Trimming off spent flower spikes can tidy the look, though it is not required for the plant's health.

A stake or planting it behind sturdier neighbors keeps the summer growth tidy and HOA-friendly along the front walk.