Fundamental Facts
HARDINESS: Zones 4 to 9
PREFERRED SOIL pH: Near neutral
PREFERRED SOIL TYPE: Well-drained
PREFERRED LIGHT: Sun
ATTRIBUTES: Airy clusters of tiny white or pink biossoms; for cutting, beds
SEASON OF INTEREST: Midsummer
FAVORITES: Tall white 'Perfecta'; rose-flowered 'Pink Fairy'; spreading G. repens
QUIRKS: Tall types must be staked while small to keep them upright as they mature
GOOD NEIGHBORS: Oriental poppy, roses, and plants with dark or bold foliage
WHERE IT GROWS BEST: In sun and well-drained soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS:Crown rot in poorly drained soil; fungal leaf diseases in humid heat
RENEWING: If sited well, plants can PLANTS live many years; unlikely to need rejuvenation
CRITTER RESISTANCE: Good
SOURCE: Division, seeds
DIMENSIONS: 6 in-4 ft (15.2 cm-1.2 m) tall, 12-24 in (30.5-61 cm) wide
Gypsophila in the Landscape
If you've ever gotten a bouquet from a florist, you will probably recognize Gypsophila paniculata, also called baby's breath. This indispensable floral filler produces clouds of tiny blossoms, lending airiness to both the garden and the vase. The tiny white or pink flowers counterbalance plant neighbors with dark or very bright flowers or bold foliage. Baby's breath is a classic partner for roses, and pink-flowered types complement plants with burgundy leaves especially well.
Although baby's breath looks like a cloud from a distance, up close you'll notice that the blossoms come in single and double forms. The flowers are held on fragile, wiry, multi-branched stems clothed at the base with narrow gray-green to blue-green leaves.
A Baby's Breath for Every Need
G. paniculata 'Bristol Fairy' is a widely available double white-flowered form that grows 3 ft (1 m) high. Slighdy smaller is its rosy counterpart, 'Pink Fairy'. Growing to 4 ft (1.2 m) or more, 'Perfecta' is an exceptionally vigorous double-flowered white baby's breath with larger flowers than other selections. On the flip side, Viette's Dwarf is only 15 in (38 cm) tall, with flowers that open pink and then turn white.
Although its flowers are similar to those of G. paniculata, G. repens spreads into 2 ft (0.6 m) wide mats. At only 6 in (15.2 cm) tall, it is beautiful when grown so that it drapes over a wall or softens the edge of a border. There are also easy-to-grow annuals, such as 'Early Summer Lace.'
Growing Baby's Breath
Excellent drainage is required for all baby's breath, especially perennials grown in Zone 6 and colder areas. Work sand and compost into the soil before setting out plants or dormant roots in early spring, and add garden lime according to package directions to adjust soil to a neutral or slightly alkaline pH. Rake the prepared soil into a small mound when setting the plant into the hole to create superior drainage and protect against deadly crown rot. Site baby's breath where you want it to grow permanently, as it develops deep-growing, thick roots that are difficult to dig up. If you must move a plant, do so in early spring, being careful not to break the roots.
The easiest way to grow the annual types is to sow seeds directly onto a sunny patch of garden soil after all danger of frost is past. Barely cover the seeds with soil and keep it moist until plants are growing vigorously. Start seeds every other week from spring through early summer to enjoy the flowers all summer long.
Stake baby's breath early in the season, using stakes and twine. In midsummer, shear plants lightly to remove spent flowers and encourage a second flush of bloom. Although insects or four-footed pests rarely visit baby's breath, in humid climates plants may die back in late summer from fungal leaf diseases. Trim off affected foliage to encourage healthy new growth; the plants will return in excellent health the following spring.
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