Baby’s Breath – Covent Garden White

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Baby’s Breath ‘Covent Garden White’ (Gypsophila elegans) is a fast-growing annual flower valued for its airy, branching stems covered with masses of small, pure-white flowers. Plants generally reach 12–24 inches tall and produce an open, delicate appearance that works especially well as a cut flower and filler in bouquets and floral arrangements.

Unlike the perennial baby’s breath commonly grown for commercial floristry, Gypsophila elegans is an annual species. ‘Covent Garden White’ produces larger, more open flowers on branching stems and is well suited to cutting gardens, flower borders, cottage gardens, and mixed plantings.

Baby’s Breath grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. It prefers neutral to slightly alkaline conditions and performs well in sandy, loamy, and other well-drained soils. Once established, plants have moderate drought tolerance but perform best with adequate moisture during periods of active growth.

This variety is particularly well suited to cut-flower production, fresh floral arrangements, flower borders, cottage gardens, rock gardens, and mass plantings. The long, branching stems provide an airy texture that works well as a filler among larger flowers.

Baby’s Breath is not native to the United States. Gypsophila elegans is native to southeastern Europe and western Asia, including Ukraine, Türkiye, the Caucasus, and Iran. It has been introduced in numerous areas of the United States, including Oregon, California, Colorado, Texas, and several states in the eastern and northern United States.

Growing Conditions

Baby’s Breath performs best in:

• Full sun
• Well-drained soil
• Neutral to slightly alkaline soil
• Sandy or loamy soil
• Moderate moisture

Plants tolerate some dry conditions once established but do not perform well in consistently wet or poorly drained soil.

Planting

Baby’s Breath is best established by direct seeding because young plants develop a root system that can make transplanting more difficult.

Prepare a firm, weed-free seed bed and sow the seed shallowly. Press the seed firmly into the soil surface to provide good seed-to-soil contact. Do not bury the seed deeply, as light helps promote germination.

Keep the seed bed evenly moist until seedlings are established.

Pacific Northwest Planting

In Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, spring is the preferred planting season for Baby’s Breath.

Direct sow after the danger of severe frost has passed and soil conditions are suitable. Choose a sunny site with good drainage, particularly in areas where spring soils remain wet.

For a longer flowering and cutting season, succession sowings can be made several weeks apart.

Planting in Other Regions

Baby’s Breath can be grown as a spring-planted annual throughout much of the United States.

In areas with long growing seasons, successive plantings can help provide a more continuous supply of flowers. In regions with hot summers, planting early enough to allow flowering before the most intense heat can improve performance.

Germination & Establishment

Baby’s Breath generally germinates in approximately 10–20 days under favorable conditions.

Because the seed is small and benefits from light, sow shallowly and maintain consistent moisture during germination.

Plants grow quickly and can begin flowering approximately 8–10 weeks after planting, depending on temperature, planting date, and growing conditions.

Blooming

‘Covent Garden White’ produces abundant clusters of small, white flowers on slender, highly branched stems.

Flowering generally occurs from late spring into summer, depending on planting date and climate.

For continued production, succession planting every few weeks can provide additional plants as earlier plantings finish flowering.

Choosing the Right Site

Choose a location with full sun and well-drained soil.

Baby’s Breath is particularly well suited to:

• Cut-flower gardens
• Fresh floral arrangements
• Flower borders
• Cottage gardens
• Rock gardens
• Mass plantings
• Mixed flower beds
• Pollinator plantings
• Dried floral arrangements

Pollinator Value

The small flowers of Baby’s Breath provide nectar and pollen and are visited by bees, butterflies, and other flower-visiting insects.

Its primary value in cultivated landscapes, however, is as an ornamental and cut flower rather than as a major pollinator species.

Larger Quantities

For quantities larger than those currently listed for sale, please contact us for availability and pricing.

Seeding Rates

The broadcast rate for seeding is 20–25 pounds per acre.

The seed drill rate for seeding in rows is 10 pounds per acre.