Baby's breath

Questions about baby's breath

Does baby's breath need sun or shade?

Baby's breath grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants dry, sharply drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does baby's breath grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 9. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does baby's breath flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late June to early August. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should baby's breath be planted?

2½ ft (75 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 ft (90 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 3 ft (90 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many baby's breath plants do I need?

At 2½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 2 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 5 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 6 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one at a time, threaded between sturdier plants.

Is baby's breath poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to people, dogs and cats. Can cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten. Handling the plant can irritate skin.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

What can I plant instead of baby's breath?

Baby's breath is listed as invasive in parts of North America, so the planner never uses it. These do the most similar job, and are native:

• Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies': the same job in a bed and the same colour; 12 in narrower, flowers mid June to mid September.
• Flowering spurge: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 6 in shorter, 12 in narrower.
• Whorled milkweed: the same job in a bed, the same flowering time and the same colour; 12 in shorter, 14 in narrower.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat baby's breath?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will baby's breath spread?

It seeds itself about; the risk of it taking over is high. Self-seeds, and its deep taproot makes it hard to remove. Listed as invasive in parts of North America, including dunes around the Great Lakes and rangeland in the West. Check local guidance before planting.

It is listed as invasive in parts of North America, and the planner never chooses it.

What flowers after baby's breath?

Baby's breath is over by early August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lilyturf: from early August to mid September, 16 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Sedum 'Autumn Joy': from mid August to mid October, 24 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Little bluestem 'Standing Ovation': from early August to mid September, 3½ ft tall.

What does baby's breath look like in winter?

Baby's breath dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.

Is baby's breath good for bees and butterflies?

Baby's breath is visited by butterflies.