Biennial Gaura, Biennial Beeblossom

Gaura biennis L.

Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family)

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Biennial Gaura, Bee-Blossom: 

·                     a biennial or sometimes summer annual, tall growing weed with open branching in the upper portions of the plant

·                     rosette is of long, lanceolate leaves, sometimes with a reddish tinge, similar to biennial evening primrose

·                     flowering stems grow 3-10 feet tall and are reddish-green and hairless to slightly hairy

·                     leaves are sessile, lanceleolate, 2-6” long, sometimes longer (longer in basal rosette)

·                     flowers are small (about 0.5-1.5 inch diameter), white to pink (often pink in bud stage opening to white), with 4 straplike petals and long-stalked stamens and stigmas in spike-like arrangement in upper branch tips

·                     sometimes included in wildlflower seed mixtures

·                     a close relative, velvet gaura or velvety gaura:

§  is also a biennial with similar size and growth habit to biennial gaura

§  has very hairy stems (velvety)

§  flowers are usually pink and smaller (around ½” diameter) than biennial gaura flowers