Gaura coccinea grow and care – herbaceous of the genus Gaura also known as Scarlet gaura, Gaura coccinea perennial evergreen or deciduous in colder climate, used as ornamental drought tolerant plant, can grow in mediterranean, desert, subtropics, temperate or tropics climate and growing in hardiness zone 6+.
Leaves color green in linear shape.
Gaura coccinea flower
Flower color white with red outside of the petal, the size 2-3 cm with 4-5 petals that grow in clusters.
How to care: Prune once a year and consider to put fertilizer at least once a year, in location with a lot of rains no need for mulch
What is the best way to start growing? Plant – careful with roots very sensitive / Seed / Vegetative Reproduction – cutting season in the spring, possible in water or direct to the soil, need some humidity and moist soil, do not over water
Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction? No, but it easy to start from cutting and can ensure the color of the flowers
Difficulties or problems when growing: Invasive, aggressive
Recommended planting season? Spring – hardiness zone 6-7, spring-summer in hardiness zone 9-10a, spring-autumn in hardiness zone 10b-11a, possible all year in hardiness zone 11b+
How to plant: Planting in location with good drainage, better sandy soil and in rainy location better to grow above the ground level and use raising bad
Pests and diseases: Aphids, whitefly
Pruning season: Autumn / Winter
How to prune: For design, better to prune when finish to bloom it induce more flowers
Size of the plant: 0.5-1 m, 20-40 inches
Growth speed in optimal condition: Fast growing – in order to grow fast, full sun, long summer season, good drainage / Medium growing
Water requirement: Small amount of water / Average amount of water (with good drainage), doesn’t like over water, in case of a lot rains need to create raised bed in order to prevent flood.
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full Sun – blooming performance will be best result / Half Shade – will bloom less but the leaves will look better and won’t be just flowers on stems
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? No
Growing is also possible in a pot, planter, flowerpot, containers: Yes, when growing in pots need to choose container that will be 70-130% bigger than the roots ball, choose minimum 5-8L but bigger better and in order to keep the plant in small need to cut the roots that will be place to re-grow again, drainage of the soil it’s important, but after few years drainage of the soil not function the same so need to change it to new soil, and in order to have good drainage possible to use potting mix, cactus potting mix or sandy soil, it’s not must possible to put in the bottom of the pot little rocks like: gravel, lava rocks or pebbles to keep good drainage.
Bloom season: Most of the year
General information about the flower: White with red in the outer part of the petals, size 2-3 cm with 4-5 petals that grow in clusters.