Pruning Wandflower 'Whirling Butterflies'
When and how — Gaura lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies'
Prune your wandflower 'Whirling Butterflies' in March and April — the optimal month is usually April.
The next pruning window is March next year.
When to prune?
The perennial wandflower 'Whirling Butterflies' is pruned in March and April.
With perennials, pruning is really seasonal management.
You don't prune perennials the way you prune shrubs. The work happens at three moments: (1) deadheading spent flower stems during the season to encourage repeat bloom, (2) optionally cutting back to about 10–15 cm above ground in late autumn, and (3) clearing all the old foliage in March before the new shoots emerge. Many gardeners now deliberately leave the old growth standing through winter — it protects the crown and shelters overwintering insects. Which approach to choose depends on taste and species: evergreen perennials (hellebore, bergenia) look better left alone, while wet-rotting species (hosta) need to come down after the first frost.
How to prune wandflower 'Whirling Butterflies'
Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies' requires minimal pruning, but a hard cut-back in early spring keeps plants compact and encourages vigorous new growth. In March or April, before fresh shoots emerge, cut the entire plant down to within 5–10 cm of ground level. Use clean, sharp secateurs or shears. This may seem drastic, but gaura responds well and will quickly produce a fresh mound of foliage followed by months of flowers. If you missed the spring window or the plant looks tatty after a harsh winter, you can still prune in April, though flowering may be delayed slightly. Remove any dead, damaged or frost-blackened stems completely. In mild winters, some foliage may remain semi-evergreen; cut it back regardless to tidy the plant and make way for new growth. Deadheading is not strictly necessary—gaura flowers prolifically without it—but if you have time, snipping off spent flower spikes in summer can tidy the appearance and may encourage a few extra flushes. The plant is naturally long-flowering from late spring through to autumn, so intervention is minimal. Avoid autumn pruning. Leaving the old stems and seed heads over winter provides some frost protection for the crown, which can be vulnerable in wet, cold spells. The dried stems also offer a little winter interest and shelter for insects. Wait until spring to tidy up. In very exposed or cold gardens, a loose mulch of bracken or straw over the crown in late autumn offers extra insurance, but remove it by early March to prevent rotting as growth resumes.
Common mistakes
✗ Cutting back too early in spring
Late frost can still strike and the old foliage protects the crown. Wait until the first new shoots are visible (usually mid-March) — then you know the season has actually started.
✗ Skipping deadheading
Hardy geranium, salvia, lupin and delphinium will give a second flush if you cut spent stems back to just above a pair of healthy leaves as soon as the first flowers fade.
✗ Cutting ornamental grasses down in autumn
The dry stems are the whole point of winter interest, AND they protect the crown from frost and waterlogging. Cut down to a fist's height only in late February.
Combine with feeding
In April you can combine pruning with feeding — efficient, and you only disturb the plant once. Read the full care guide for wandflower 'Whirling Butterflies' →
Too late this year? Here's what to do
Better to wait than prune at the wrong moment. The next optimal window is March next year. Until then: leave the plant alone — only remove dead or diseased wood (which you can do year-round).
