I study biology and live in a small jungle in my flat! In my free time, I love taking long walks in nature with my dog while finding and identifying various plants. In spring, I plant all kinds of edible plants on my balcony so that I can use fresh ingredients in my cooking. Favourite fruit: every kind of berry Favourite vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes
Baby’s breath is a very low-maintenance and delicate perennial and is truly stunning with its white or pink flowers, especially in rock gardens.
Delicate baby’s breath (Gypsophila) can be used as a truly stunning upright perennial or as a ground cover. It is also easy to care for and hardy. Find out here how and where to plant baby’s breath, how best to care for it and how to propagate it. We also present the most beautiful species of baby’s breath and explain how they differ.
Babys breath, scientifically known as Gypsophila, is a delicate and beautiful flowering plant commonly used in floral arrangements and landscaping There are several varieties of babys breath plants, each with its unique characteristics and growing requirements. Identifying the different types of babys breath can be tricky for beginner gardeners. This guide will help you learn how to identify the most popular babys breath plant varieties
Overview of Babys Breath Plants
Babys breath plants belong to the genus Gypsophila which contains around 150 species. They are native to Europe, Asia, parts of Africa and Australia. The most commonly grown babys breath plants are annuals or perennials that produce loose panicles or clusters of tiny white, pink or yellow five-petaled flowers on slender stems.
The dainty flowers have a soft, fluffy appearance that gives them a delicate and dreamy look. This is why babys breath is so popular as fillers in bouquets and flower arrangements. The tiny blooms also make lovely accents in garden beds and borders. Depending on the variety, babys breath plants grow from 6 inches to 8 feet tall.
Identifying Key Features
To identify the different types of babys breath you need to look at some key features
- Growth habit – Annual, biennial or perennial
- Height – Dwarf, medium or tall
- Spread – Narrow or wide
- Foliage – Green or grey-green
- Flowers – Color, single or double, size of blooms
- Fragrance – Scented or non-scented
Once you know what features to look for identifying varieties becomes much easier. Here are some tips
- Check height and spread to determine if it’s a compact or tall variety
- Look at foliage color and texture
- Examine the tiny flowers closely to see if they are single or double blooms
- Note flower color – white, pink or yellow
- Smell flowers to detect any fragrance
- Look for size of flower panicles and overall plant shape
Common Babys Breath Varieties
Here are some of the most popular babys breath plants that you may come across:
Gypsophila elegans – Annual Babys Breath
- Annual that grows up to 2 feet tall
- Abundant clusters of single white flowers
- Blooms summer to fall
- Nice cut flower
Gypsophila paniculata – Perennial Babys Breath
- Hardy perennial 3 feet tall
- Loose sprays of tiny white single blooms
- Blooms in summer
- Good for borders and as a cut flower
Gypsophila repens – Creeping Babys Breath
- Spreading perennial groundcover, 8 inches tall
- White or pink single flowers
- Blooms spring to summer
- Good for rock gardens
Gypsophila Bristol Fairy
- Clumping perennial, 3 feet tall
- Dense double white blooms up to 0.5 inches wide
- Blooms midsummer to fall
Gypsophila Festival Star
- Compact perennial, 1 foot tall
- Large clusters of single white flowers
- Blooms all summer
- Tolerates cold winters
As you can see, babys breath offers great variety, from tall to dwarf cultivars with single, double, white, pink or yellow blossoms. Once you know what features to assess, identifying the different types becomes much simpler. With this guide, you’ll be able to easily recognize the most popular babys breath plants for your garden or flower arrangements.
Proper care: pruning and fertilising baby’s breath
Caring for baby’s breath takes very little time. Due to its low nutrient requirements, it does not need to be fertilised. In addition, it can live with longer periods of drought, so it rarely needs to be watered. The only thing this plant cannot cope with is waterlogging, which is why it is essential to prevent this by adding a drainage layer.
Pruning is not necessary, but pruning after the first flowering usually leads to a second flowering in late summer. To do this, cut back the withered flowerheads to the upper stem leaves. Planting partners such as grasses can conceal the bare patches between flowering phases.
By cutting the flowers, a second flowering may occur [Photo: Michaela0401/ Shutterstock.com]
Baby’s breath: origin and characteristics
The genus baby’s breath (Gypsophila) belongs to the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae) and is native from South-Eastern Europe to Siberia. There it is found mainly in alpine habitats, on slopes or in dry, sandy steppes. The genus name of this delicate perennial is due to the fact that some of the approximately 180 species and varieties grow on gypsum rock. Baby’s breath can grow up to 100cm high. The perennial, herbaceous plant is richly branched and forms mutually arranged leaves, which are often fleshy, bluish green and linear to lanceolate. Their flowerheads are terminal and usually have hermaphrodite, white or pink panicle flowers. These exude a pleasant fragrance and become spherical capsule fruits after flowering. The seeds are kidney-shaped and flat. Gypsophila is an excellent bee and insect pasture.
Gypsophila is mainly found in alpine regions [Photo: Wiert nieuman/ Shutterstock.com]
Is baby’s breath perennial? While most species are perennial, there are also annual varieties.
When does baby’s breath flower? Depending on the species, the flowering times differ somewhat. However, all Gypsophila species flower between May and September.
Babys breath are very bee and insect-friendly [Photo: meiningi/ Shutterstock.com]
Flower 101: Everything you need to know about babies breath
FAQ
Are there different varieties of baby’s breath?
How to identify baby’s breath?
How do you tell the difference between fresh and dried baby breath?
What is the difference between perennial and annual baby’s breath?