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Gypsophila
Also called Babysbreath
Gypsophila is a genus of about 150 annual or perennial herbs from Eurasia and Africa, best known as baby's-breath, the airy white or pink filler used in cut flowers. Grow in full sun with well-drained, lime-tolerant soil, as most species dislike wet roots.
Gypsophila () is a genus of flowering plants in the carnation family, Caryophyllaceae. They are native to Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Turkey has a particularly high diversity of Gypsophila taxa, with about 35 endemic species. Some Gypsophila are introduced species in other regions.
The genus name is from the Greek gypsos ("gypsum") and philios ("loving"), a reference to the gypsum-rich substrates on which some species grow. Plants of the genus are known commonly as baby's-breath, or bebe's breath, a name which also refers specifically to the well known ornamental species Gypsophila paniculata.
Some species are known as weeds, including the "aggressive ornamental" G. paniculata, which invades habitat and competes with native flora.
A few species are commercially cultivated for several uses, including floristry, herbal medicine, and food. The baby's-breath most commonly used in flower arrangements such as bouquets is the common gypsophila, G. paniculata. G. elegans is also used as a cut flower.
Showy baby's-breath · Baby's breath · Creeping baby's-breath
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Gypsophila by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
