(Gypsophila elegans ‘Annual’)
Annual Baby's Breath is an introduced, tender, warm-weather annual flower commonly found growing in sandy soils of meadow steppes and outskirts of woodlands of Eurasia. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 2-3' and features dense branches that bear 2” long lance-shaped foliage and small, 1/2” white flower blooms. This plant can be grown in containers, attracts bees and butterflies, is deer resistant, is highly used in floral arrangements, and self-sows!
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General Information
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Starting Baby's Breath Seeds
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Crop Care
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Harvesting
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Seed Saving
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Companion Planting
Genus: Gypsophila
Species: elegans
Variety: Annual Baby's Breath
Also Known As: Showy Baby's Breath, Gyp
Native to: Iran, Krym, North Caucasus, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Ukraine.
Introduced into: Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Austria, Baltic States, Bolivia, California, Canary Is., Colombia, Colorado, Connecticut, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, France, Georgia, Germany, Guatemala, Illinois, Iowa, Italy, Kansas, Libya, Madeira, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Morocco, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northwest Territorie, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pakistan, Pennsylvania, Québec, Rhode I., Saskatchewan, Spain, Tanzania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Yukon.
Ease of Growing: Moderate
Grown as: Annual.
Maturity (Blooms): Summer
Light: Full Sun
Soil Moisture: Medium
Beneficial Insects?: Yes. Attracts Bees, Butterflies while being Deer resistant.
Containers: Yes.
Height: 18-24”
Spacing: 8-10”
Sow Depth: 1/8"
USDA Zone: 3a-9b
Produces: dense branches that bare 2” long lance shaped foliage and small 1/2” white flower blooms.
Starting Annual Baby's Breath Seeds Indoors for Spring
Transplanting Annual Baby's Breath Seedlings Outdoors for Spring
Starting Annual Baby's Breathe Seeds Outdoors for Spring
Companion Planting
Using companion plants as a border, backdrop, or interplanting in your garden beds will allow you to harness the ecosystem to its full potential. It is best to use plants native to your area so that the insects you seek to attract will know what to look for!
Japanese Anemone, Bleeding Heart, Dwarf Delphinium, Foxglove, Gayfeather, Garden Phlox, Oriental Poppy, Russian Sage, Shasta Daisy
Problems
Suggested Varieties
(Digitalis purpurea ‘Foxglove’)
Foxglove is a biennial/short-lived perennial flower that is native to eastern Europe but can be commonly found growing in open woods, woodland clearings, moorland and heath margins, sea-cliffs, rocky mountain slopes, and hedge banks throughout the northeastern and northwestern United States. At maturity, this plant features thick, textured leaves at the base and tall spikes of tubular, dangling 2-3” blossoms of rose pink or purple with tiny contrasting spots. This plant attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, is resistant to deer and rabbits, and is used as a cut flower!