Plant · GBIF taxon 5384466
showy baby's-breath
Gypsophila elegansAlso known as Annual Baby's-breath, Covent Garden Baby's-breath, Showy Gypsophila
Showy baby's-breath produces airy, cloud-like sprays of delicate white or pale pink blossoms throughout early summer. Its slender, dichotomously branched stems and glaucous blue-green leaves create a light, ethereal texture that attracts hoverflies and tiny solitary bees. Native to the mountain slopes and steppes of eastern Europe and western Asia, this fast-growing annual has become a beloved favorite in cottage gardens and floral arrangements worldwide.
FloweringAnnualPollinator-Friendly
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
- Slugs
- Snails
- Aphids
ThreatsHabitat alteration in native ranges, garden escape competition
HabitatsSteppes, open hillsides, rocky slopes, cultivated gardens
Life span1 year (Annual)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderCaryophyllales
- FamilyCaryophyllaceae
- GenusGypsophila
- SpeciesGypsophila elegans
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Contains mild saponins that cause upset stomachs in pets if ingested; avoid consumption.
Responsible observation
- Gardening: Sow seeds directly outdoors in early spring for continuous summer blooms.
- Observation: Look closely at the five-petaled blossoms to spot visiting hoverflies.
- Arrangements: Cut flowering stems just as the first buds open to maximize vase life.
Close Relative (c) Close-up_of_baby's_breath_(Gypsophila_paniculata)_flowers.jpg, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Family Relative Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Family Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Family Relative (c) Jason Grant, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jason Grant · cc-by
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