"Siskiyou Pink"

Gaura lindheimeri, a pretty perennial, is native to the prairies of Texas and Louisiana, but it is perfectly adapted to gardens throughout the South, even ones in the coldest extremes of the upper South.  The long, reddish stems bear delicate buds that open into moth-shaped flowers, which come and go for five or six months from midspring until first frost.  It has a stalwart resistance to heat and humidity.   Height ranges from 18 inches to 5 feet.  It prefers full sun to partial shade, and well drained soil.  Water requirements are low, and hardiness rating is zone 5 to 9.  Because it is deep rooted, it tolerates dry summers.  It helps to deadhead most spent blossoms to keep the plant healthy and promote bloom.  The first flush of bloom lasts about a month.  In mid summer you can cut the plant back to approximately 18 inches, and the second blooming period will be shorter and thicker than the first.   When you cut back gaura, leave one plant unpruned so that it will reseed, new seedlings will spring up around the plant, and grow to flowering size after the first year.  Because it is taprooted, it resists transplanting.