PlantFiles: Appleblossom Grass
Gaura lindheimeri 'Pink Cloud'

This plant is so pretty. It is very drought tolerant which is a must for Texas summers. I planted one last year and it has tripled in size, so I planted three more. Pretty color to add to any landscape.

I have one of these plants I bought two seasons ago and put in a large outdoor clay pot with other plants. It adds such a waterfall of background color to the pot. When it seems to be getting too leggy, I cut is all the way down and it shoots new long stems of flowers again. Even without the flowers the foliage is pretty with a tinge of red in the green leaves. The best thing is it survives over winter with temperatures as low as 27. I've even moved it from one pot to another and did just fine. I'm going to get more this year as soon as I see them in the nurseries. Mine were tagged "Gaura lindheimeri" and Pink Lady as common name. But the pot said "Apple blossom grass, pink butterflies. So who knows but my pictures are posted and it looks the most like this variety.

evergreen, even during extended cold/frosts/freezes (florida type cold). i love this plant and would never be without it. it can take whatever i throw at it and never skip a beat.

i want to add that gaura is prone to tiny metallic beetles. a mature plant will survive the onslaught but a young plant needs help. the only thing i found that kills the beetles and keeps them off long enough for the plant to regain strength is spectracide fire ant killer. i try to be organic as much as possible but sometimes a pest calls for drastic measures. this is the time. i throw a handful on the plant and water in lightly.

I planted my Gaura 'pink cloud' in March, 2007 in bloom. As I make this entry in December following a hard freeze it is still blooming! This summer We had the worst drought in my lifetime. In August we had 14 consecutive days over 100 degrees in Alabama but it kept on going with deadheading of spent blossoms. Highly recommended!

I have two of these. Each year I cut them all the way down to the ground and they come back full-force the following year. Some may not like the "wildflower" appearance (e.g., my neighbor thinks its a weed), but the flowers look like pretty butterflies swaying in the wind. Spreads (via roots) so you may notice it expanding in its planted area.