perennial
Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies'
Oenothera lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies'
Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.
Oenothera lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies' is a fast-growing perennial for gardens in zones 5–9. Expect 2–3 ft of height and 2–3 ft of spread; our lists space it 2 ft apart. It does best in full sun with little water once established. Expect white flowers in May to October. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the filler role: a flowering plant that fills the middle or front of the bed. It is native to Texas and the South-Central states. Deer usually leave it alone, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats.
Facts from our plant table
- Botanical name
- Oenothera lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies'
- Plant type
- Perennial, herbaceous
- Hardiness zones
- 5 to 9
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, sandy or average soil; deep taproot.
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft tall × 2–3 ft wide
- Spacing
- 2 ft apart (centre to centre)
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- May–Oct · white
- Roles in a bed
- Filler
- Styles
- natural, cottage, low water
- Deer resistance
- High: deer rarely eat it
- Pets
- Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Gaura is not on the ASPCA toxic list.
- Native to
- South-Central
- Pot size and price
- 1-gallon pot, typically $10–$18 (easy to find)
- Plant in
- Spring or Fall
- First-year watering
- Water weekly through the first summer until roots establish, then only during long dry spells.
- Pruning
- Cut back by a third in midsummer if floppy.
Sources: ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List (from general knowledge; not re-checked unless verification is web-checked); Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder and grower tags; State extension service guidance and USDA PLANTS distribution maps; Rutgers NJAES Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance; Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States and state noxious weed lists; Typical 2026 US garden-centre and big-box retail listings (estimate). Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.
Guides that include this plant
Good companions
The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies', across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.
- Anise-scented sage 'Black and Blue'Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'perennial · zones 7–10
- Turk's capMalvaviscus arboreus var. drummondiiperennial · zones 8–10
- Virginia sweetspire 'Little Henry'Itea virginica 'Sprich'shrub · zones 5–9
- Weeping redbud 'Ruby Falls'Cercis canadensis 'Ruby Falls'small tree · zones 5–9
- Upright rosemary 'Tuscan Blue'Salvia rosmarinus 'Tuscan Blue'shrub · zones 8–11
- Little bluestem 'Standing Ovation'Schizachyrium scoparium 'Standing Ovation'ornamental grass · zones 3–9
If you can't find it
Substitutes our engine offers for Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies': same role in the bed, passing the same rules. Some of them are flagged toxic to dogs or cats: check the pet note before you swap.
How this page was made
This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.
Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.
Sources
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
- ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
- Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
- State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
- Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)
Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants