By Julie Christensen
You’re probably familiar with baby’s breath — ubiquitous in wreaths, bridal displays and floral arrangements — but you might not have thought of it as a garden plant. Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) makes a low-maintenance addition to the perennial garden. Like lavender or catmint, baby’s breath creates a charming, soft look in the garden. Because the plant blooms from early summer to fall, it is an excellent filler for hiding other perennials after they’re done blooming. Pair it with delphinium, iris, columbine, poppies, yarrow and other cottage garden flowers.
Baby’s breath is best known for its white blooms, but the plant also comes in pink and rose. Hardy in plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, it is a long-lived perennial. The plant grows 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, with a gentle rounded form.
Getting Started
To grow baby’s breath, plant nursery transplants or start it from cuttings. You can also grow baby’s breath from seed, although it probably won’t bloom the first summer. Spread seeds in a seed starting tray filled with a lightweight growing medium. Cover the seeds with a very light layer of soil – 1/16 inch and mist the tray with water from a spray bottle. Cover the seed tray with plastic wrap and keep it in a warm location. Seeds germinate best when the soil temperature is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Plant baby’s breath in full sun, in well-draining soil with a pH around 7.0. Add lime to acidic soils to raise the pH. Amend heavy, clay soils with plenty of organic matter, such as compost, manure and peat moss, because the plants will rot during long, wet winters.
Growing Tips for Baby’s Breath
Baby’s breath doesn’t require a lot of maintenance and in fact, too much fertilizer and water can cause soft growth and few blossoms. Keep the soil on the dry side and provide a light application of a balanced fertilizer in the spring as new growth emerges.
Cut the plants back midsummer if they become straggly and unkempt. Cutting them back encourages a fresh batch of blooms from late summer to fall. Tall plants benefit from staking. Baby’s breath is one perennial that doesn’t need division. The fleshy roots are fragile and easily damaged so it’s better to leave baby’s breath alone and shear it back to control growth. Double blossomed varieties are grafted onto a root stock, so take care not to cut below the graft line or the plant will revert to the character of the root stock.
Baby’s breath rarely experiences problems with insect or disease pests. You can prevent mildew or mold issues by spacing baby’s breath so air circulates freely and using drip irrigation instead of overhead sprinklers.
To use the flowers in floral arrangements, cut them when half the blooms are open. The remaining blooms will open in a day or two, extending the life of the flowers. To dry baby’s breath, cut them early in the morning when the blooms are just opening. Hang them in a dry, warm location for two weeks, or until completely dry.
Baby’s breath contains a sap that some people find irritating. The irritation is mild and lasts only a few minutes. If you experience itching or a rash, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and wear gloves when handling this plant.
Varieties and Types of Baby’s Breath Plants
‘Bristol Fairy’ is the variety you’re probably familiar with. This plant produces small, white blossoms from April to August, depending on your climate. ‘Viette’s Dwarf’ is, as the name implies, a compact variety, growing only 18 inches tall. The plant has pink to white flowers that bloom from May to August. ‘Perfekta’ produces larger, white, double flowers in June and grows 3 feet tall. ‘Compacta plena’ grows only 12 inches tall, with white blooms that appear from April to August.
For more information, visit the following links:
Gypsophila paniculata from the Royal Horticulture Society in London
Gypsophila paniculata ‘Bristol Fairy’ from the Missouri Botanical Garden
When she’s not writing about gardening, food and canning, Julie Christensen enjoys spending time in her gardens, which include perennials, vegetables and fruit trees. She’s written hundreds of gardening articles for the Gardening Channel, Garden Guides and San Francisco Gate, as well as several e-books.
I need to have for a June 23 wedding when should I plant babies breath?
The year before your wedding day if you want use the flowers.
To Have ready for a July 1 wedding when should nursery transplants be seen out in the garden?
Plant your nursery bought plant as early in the spring that you can get them from the nursery.
My plant was blooming when I got it two years ago, and hasn’t bloomed since.
How do I get it to bloom?
Are you fertilizing it with too much nitrogen. Try using fertilizer that has the middle number higher. That middle number promotes bloom.
I bought seedlings and planted them on the 30th April. They were doing beautifully then I moved them into a bigger pot but they are all wilting and dying. I realise now I’ve been watering them too often and fiddling too much. Can I still save my baby or is it too late? The sprouts have gone yellow and look almost dead. Do I need to move in into another pot as I have it in a long rectangle pot with Viola and sweet Alyssum.
Please help
Too late to save them as they’re just little babies. Seedlings are very fragile and care should be taken when transplanting them. Start planting new seeds and learn from your lesson.
Baby’s Breathe: In our area this plant is on the invasive list of perennials. Our city sprays to try and get rid of these plants. In the fall they break off and become tumble weeds. A mature plant can have up to 10,000 seeds.
How many cuttings can you get off babies breath a summer
It depends on how big or bushy is your plant. Try to practice with three cuttings before you try large amount of them.
I have a January 4th wedding. Will the babies breath be still blooming?
Not unless you live in zone 9, but you may be able to find them from the florists. If you want them blooming in January, you should have it planted on a pot and in the greenhouse.
I have a rose garden and have put some gysophlia with the roses and each time they flower they look beautiful. It is just a cloud of dainty white. I don’t fertilise it but have lime soil so I expect that is why they do so well. Would it be alright between my “Fairy” standards? I think it would look beautiful. I like my garden in shades of pink and white.
how do you get the seeds from the flowers after theyre done blooming? i cant find this information
I’ve been looking for the same info for Showy Baby’s Breath and found this drawing of the seeds:
https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/gypsophila/elegans/
I also read to collect the seeds when the fruit capsule is brown
(and in the morning with the dew if they are very mature and likely to break)
Good luck!
do gypsophila’s seedling looks like a butterfly or a heart?
Hello,
We live in Massachusetts and are thinking a February wedding. Is it possible to grow baby’s breath inside near a window, or is it too difficult? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Mostly looking to make centerpieces but I’m not sure the dried babys breath would look great. Thanks