Is Gaura Whirling Butterflies Slow To “wake Up” In The Spring?

Question

I’m in Rhinebeck NY and a new gardener. This is my first spring season with the Gaura – planted early last summer. Most of my other plants are showing signs of life. Nothing on the Gaura. It was one of my favorites as the hummingbirds visited it daily! Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

This can be quite normal in your area, but you can take some steps to speed it up. You should start seeing growth around now, but you still have a few more weeks before you can call it a loss. A few things to note about the plant- It is hardy down to zone 5 and can suffer if you have had a cold winter in your area. (Sometimes in my area it gets colder than it is supposed to, as well.) They are very drought tolerant, so keeping the soil from getting too moist, or aerating the soil by adding earthworms can help with that. They have a long taproot, as well. Since you planted it last year, it will likely focus most of its time on the roots at first. This year's growth may not be as nice as next years, as long as it is still alive.

The only care requirement that may be tedious is removal of unwanted plants. They will spread if you leave them unchecked.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/gaura/growing-gaura-plants.htm