This perennial form of baby's breath is a herbaceous perennial in the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae) and isGreat Lakes, native to Europe. It is classed as an invasive species in places around the Great Lakes and the Chicago region and in the Pacific Northwest and California, where it is a declared noxious weed.It It flowers from summer to fall and can be found in fields, roadsides, beaches, and other open, sandy areas in soils that are not strongly acidic. It needs full sun and well-drained alkaline to neutral soil. Cut it back after flowering to encourage more blooms. With double-flowered cultivars that have been grafted onto single-flowered rootstocks, care must be taken to avoid cutting the plant back below the graft union. Baby's breath should be left undisturbed in the garden to avoid damage to the large, fleshy roots. It is resistant to salt, drought, and damage by deer. See native alternatives to the left. It is cultivated as a garden ornamental or used by florists for fillers in bouquets, particularly with roses. Plant it in small groups, beds or borders or use it in containers, a cutting or a cottage garden. Its fine, billowy texture masks the dying stems of spent spring bulbs or early summer bloomers like poppies especially well. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Weedy. Root development is completely inhibited by Pantoea agglomerans pv, which can be a problem in the floral industry.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.