Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Friday - September 14, 2012

From: Townsville, Australia
Region: Other
Topic: Non-Natives, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Gaura dying from Townsville, Australia
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

My passionate pink Gaura appears to be dying. It had a beautiful blooming period & now is going backwards. What is happening? I have pruned it, but don't know how to save it.

ANSWER:

We couldn't even figure out where you were writing from until we noticed the ".au"; that is, Australia, in your e-mail address. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants in Austin, Texas is dedicated to the growth, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they grow naturally.

According to this article 'Passionate Pink' Gaura is a cultivar of Gaura lindheimeri (Lindheimer's beeblossom), which is native to Louisiana and Texas, as well as south into Mexico. We are sorry we know so little about Australia's climate and soils, but we have trouble enough keeping up with North America. Perhaps the article we linked you to above will have the information you need. You can also follow the link to our Gaura lindheimeri (Lindheimer's beeblossom) webpage to compare the plant's growing conditions with those in your garden.

From the Image Gallery

White gaura
Oenothera lindheimeri