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Botanical name: Gypsophila paniculata
Billowing mounds of tiny, airy white flowers cover small, silver green foliage during the summer season; dainty flowers are ideal for fresh or dried arrangements; drought and salt tolerant, excellent for borders, beds and containers.
| Hardiness zone | 2a |
|---|---|
| Flower color | white |
| Foliage type | deciduous * |
| Plant form | mounded |
| Mature height | 3 feet |
| Spread | 3 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun |
| Moisture requirements | dry to average |
| Plant origin | import |
* deciduous = loses leaves in winter
Common Baby's Breath features airy plumes of white flowers at the ends of the stems from mid summer to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its grassy leaves remain silvery blue in color throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Common Baby's Breath is a dense herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
Spreading
Common Baby's Breath is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, General Garden Use, Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
Common Baby's Breath will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for alkaline soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.
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