Gaura Plant Profile

Gaura Plant Profile

Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri previously Gaura lindheimeri)) is an herbaceous flowering plant with a floppy, weeping habit that looks good in a cottage garden or planted in containers. It has star-shaped blooms in shades of pale pink and white that flower from late summer into fall.

It is also known as Butterfly Gaura, Lindheimer's Beeblossom, Indian Feather, and Wand Flower. The flowers  attract bumblebees, long-tongue bees, and butterflies.

Though it is reportedly hardy to USDA Zones 5 to 9, it is an annual or tender perennial (also known as temperennial) in our region – depending on your zone and how harsh and wet the winter weather is each year and how heavy your clay soil is. As an extra measure to winter them over, you can add straw mulch around the base to insulate them.

Gaura grows best in full sun and well-draining soils. It is native to Louisiana and Texas.

Cut it back after it finishes flowering and divide the large clumps in mid-spring. You can take cuttings in the fall to propagate them indoors

A few Gaura cultivars to try include 'Siskiyou Pink' and ‘Whirling Butterflies’.

Gaura: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Photos, Video, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Ian Ferris

 

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If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Blazing Star Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/07/blazing-star-plant-profile.html

~ Black Cohosh Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/07/black-cohosh-plant-profile.html

~ Fleabane Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/05/fleabane-plant-profile.html

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Monday Thoughts: “I guarantee that gardening with nature is easier than gardening against it.” ~ Becky Searle

“I guarantee that gardening with nature is easier than gardening against it.” 

~ Becky Searle

GardenDC Podcast Episode 250: Garden Hacks

In this special 250th episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, I let the interns take over the show and ask me their gardening questions. I share my best garden tips and hacks for solving problems ranging from pruning hydrangea to choosing organic fertilizers. This episode was also videoed so you can watch it on YouTube and other platforms that offer video podcasts.

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 100: Behind the Scenes

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-100-behind.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 200: Secrets of a Gardening Podcast

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/06/gardendc-podcast-episode-200-secrets-of.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 142: Hydrangea Care and Pruning

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/03/gardendc-podcast-episode-142-hydrangea.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 51: Companion Planting Strategies

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/03/gardendc-podcast-episode-51-companion.html

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter/subscriber at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

Visit https://shop.kathyjentz.com/ to browse our new online store!

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3CauHImB6havSOafQqiyPY?si=WPOBR8BmTECiuY6IB5PQrA

Show Notes will be posted after 8-5-2025.

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We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz Interns: Colin Davan, Ian Ferris, and Miguel Zarate

Interview Edit & Show Notes: Ian Ferris

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

Fenton Friday: Rinse and Repeat

This past week was more heat and more storms following by more rampant vine growth. This weekend promises to be some weather relief and maybe we can catch up on some weeding then.

We were able to pick several Cucumbers and Cherry Tomatoes plus a few Blackberries. We are leaving the Peppers in place in hopes we can gather enough next week for our fair entries. The Zucchini plants continute to bloom with no fruits forming -- yet.

Some bunny has once again munched on the Cow Peas and Green Bean plants.

I cut more Dahlias, Lisianthus, Zinnias, and Marigolds to enjoy in indoor vases.

This is the week I plan to cut the Basil to make fresh pesto and to get that Brussels Sprout seedling into the ground.

Everything else is pretty much a holding pattern waiting for those larger tomatoes to ripen...

What are you growing and harvesting in your edible garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 14th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog.)

Pagoda Dogwood Plant Profile

Pagoda Dogwood Plant Profile

Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is an understory tree that is native to central and Eastern North America. The branches are held parallel to the ground and have an architectural tiered look that give it its common name.

It has four-season interest with small white flowers in spring that turn into dark berries in the summer. The foliage is solid green and turns burgundy in fall. There are also variegated cultivars such as ‘Golden Shadows’ and ‘Argentea’.

The berries are loved by birds and small mammals. It is a host plant for the Spring and Summer Azure butterflies.

It is up to 25 feet tall and 30 feet wide at maturity.

It is hardy to USDA zone 3-7

Pagoda Dogwood grows best in part sun to part shade and planted in moist, but well-draining soils.

This is a low-maintenance plant that does not require fertilizing or pruning. You can mulch lightly around its root zone with leaf compost annually.

You can propagate it by rooting stem cuttings or by sowing its seeds. Note that it can seed itself around naturally, so cull any saplings, if you do not want a small colony to form.

Pagoda Dogwood: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Video, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Colin Davan

 

➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our Youtube channel (thank you!)

➤Remember to TURN ON notifications to know when our new videos are out

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~ Podcast: GardenDC

If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Sweetgum Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/12/sweetgum-plant-profile.html

~ Stewartia Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/06/stewartia-plant-profile.html

~ Dogwood Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2018/05/plant-profile-dogwood-trees.html

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Monday Thoughts: “No matter the result, there was nothing like the feeling of my hands in the soil, the sweetness of the fresh strawberries, and the pride of my first home grown salad.” ~ Debbie Millman

“No matter the result, there was nothing like the feeling of my hands in the soil, the sweetness of the fresh strawberries, and the pride of my first home grown salad.” ~ Debbie Millman

GardenDC Podcast Episode 249: Community Gardening

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Michelle Nelson, Montgomery Park's Community Garden Program Manager all about community gardens. The plant profile is an update on our previous one on Lavender and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on Corn in Small Spaces by Christy Page of GreenPrints.

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 129: Sharing the Harvest

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/11/gardendc-podcast-episode-129-sharing.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 202: Documenting Gardens

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-202.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 198: Rats and Othetr Destructive Critters

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/06/gardendc-podcast-episode-198-rats-and.html

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter/subscriber at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

Visit https://shop.kathyjentz.com/ to browse our new online store!

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1cWyZhU95ae5wEuCFDWtW2?si=r4y4_byvRVqLTaQcF_mCxA

Show Notes will be posted after 7-29-2025.

Michelle Nelson's profile in the September 2024 issue of Washington Gardener Magazine.

Montgomery Park's community gardens conditions of use are posted here.

The GardenDC podcast is also available on -

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• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Interview Edit & Show Notes: Miguel Zarate

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Fenton Friday: First Cukes

The good news is lots of cucumbers are forming on the rampant vines (see pic above). The bad news is the cucumbers may have a wild disease. Something is impacting their foliage and I'm going to go out early this weekend to more closely inspect the leaves when it is not so blazing hot.

Speaking of the heat, we are in another extreme heat wave, but this time we are missing those daily (late-day) thunderstorms. I've had to water a few times this week and hope for some of the forecasted rains this weekend to come through again -- though they are very hit-and-miss so the odds of us getting anything substantial are slim.

It was also another week of beating back the invasive morning glory vines and other weedy vines trying to choke out the tomato plants, dahlias, etc.

There are lots of blossoms on the Zucchini plants, so I think they will start producing very soon.

Lots of peppers are forming -- we'll see about picking some of them this week.

The Sweet Potato vine in the large container is starting to take off as is the Hibiscus.

I cut some Dahlias, Lisianthus, Zinnias, and Marigolds to enjoy in indoor vases. I also saw a self-sown Celosia plant is popping up next to the Dahlias, which is great as I never got around to starting those seeds.

I picked more 'Sun Gold' Tomatoes and some of the first Currant tomatoes along with a handful of Blackberries. I plan to pick Basil this weekend to make fresh pesto.

It was too hot to start some of the cool weather crops, so I'll wait for next week for that. Someone gave me some Brussels Sprout seedlings and I'm really hesistant to plant those out right now.

What are you growing and harvesting in your edible garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 14th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog.)

Cattail Plant Profile

Cattail Plant Profile

Cattail (Typha latifolia)  is a grass-like perennial  with a tall yellow cone of male flowers in the spring. followed  In summer and early fall, the female brown flower heads pack around the stem (giving it that classic “hot dog on a stick” look).

It is also known as Marsh Pestle, Corn Dog Grass, Water Torch, and Candlestick.

It is native to most of the Americas as well as to Africa and western Eurasia.

It is hardy to USDA zones 3 to 10.

Cattail can grow from 4 to 10 feet high. Dwarf Cattail (Typha minima) is a miniature version that is better suited for backyard water gardens

It prefers to grow in full to part sun in rich, wet soils or mud, It is also salt tolerant.

They are aggressive spreaders so it is best to grow them in containers.

Cattails provide nesting areas and food for birds and other wildlife. It is deer-resistant. The plant was used as a food and medicine by Native Americans. The cattail has also been used in padding for bedding, thatching for roofs, and as stuffing in life vests for the Navy during World War II.

Cattails are perfect for use in long-lasting dried arrangements

They are easy to propagate by seed or by planting a rhizome division.

Cattail: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Videos, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Miguel Zarate

Additional Video Footage by Colin Davan

Additional Photo by H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our Youtube channel (thank you!)

➤Remember to TURN ON notifications to know when our new videos are out

➤ FIND Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE

~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com

~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener

~ https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/

~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine

~ Podcast: GardenDC

If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Horsetail Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/06/horsetail-plant-profile.html

~ Little Bluestem Grass Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/08/little-bluestem-grass-plant-profile.html

~ Black Cohosh Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/07/black-cohosh-plant-profile.html

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