Oenothera lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies'

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Key characteristics

Family: Onagraceae
Height: 2–3 feet
Width: 1–2 feet
Flower color: White with long, prominent stamens; flowers open from pink buds
Foliage color: Green, with lance-shaped leaves that provide a delicate, airy texture
Bloom time: Late spring to early autumn
Light: Full sun
Water: Moderate; prefers well-drained soil
Maintenance: Low; deadheading spent flowers can encourage continuous blooming
Growing zone: USDA zones 5–9
Wildlife: Attracts pollinators, including bees and butterflies

Perennials

Oenothera lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies'

Whirling Butterflies White Gaura

Oenothera lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies' is a graceful perennial with fluttering white flowers and slender, wiry stems. This cultivar features lance-shaped, green leaves that form a bushy clump, from which the tall, airy flower spikes emerge. The plant produces an abundance of white flowers with pink buds, from late spring to early autumn, with only a few flowers open at a time, creating a continuous display throughout the season.

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate; prefers well-drained soil

Bloom time

Late spring to early autumn

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Sun Gardens
Pollinator Gardens
Cut Flower Gardens

Companion plants

Coneflowers · Salvias · Shasta daisies · Asters · Catmint · Coreopsis

Design tip

Late flowers extend the season, so set it behind or beside plants that finish in midsummer. Give it open sun and room to fill out, and repeat it in threes or fives so the planting reads as one sweep instead of scattered dots.