Sickly Gaura

My Cherry Brandy Gaura grows in full sun in raised well amended beds. Over the past 3 years, several have been affected by discolored leaves that feel rough. I have sprayed with antifungal applications without saving any of them. Once they start to become diseased, they never get better. Sometimes, two will be side-by-side in a bed where one is sickly and the other perfectly healthy. Even diseased plants continue to bloom and live. Should I just discard the diseased ones and start over? Or is there something I can treat them with?

i've found that Gaura (now Oenothera genus) needs exceptional air flow or they get spider mites, among other pests. unless you get right down to the plant and eyeball it, you may not realize that it is covered in webs. if this is the case, douse it well with a soapy spray (i use Castile Soap) and then at dusk i spray it with a generic cooking oil (like Pam). in the morning, give it a good shower with your hose. i know this sounds harsh but it has worked for me in the past.

if it isn't spider mites, perhaps you're over watering? they don't need a lot of water. it's hard sometimes because spider mites like dry, windy conditions without airflow but watering (misting) will keep them away. when you have a plant that likes drier conditions, it can be difficult.

Hi trackinsand,
Thanks for your reply. It has to be spider mites. I do see some little tiny bugs and there were webs at some point back. I don't water much if at all once plants are established. Which tells me that this is spider mites and maybe the Gaura is not going to last in my garden, as a long term candidate. I don't really want plants that I have to treat.....I have another Gaura called Belleza Pink and it seems resistant to the spider mites, or else it just hasn't had them yet. It just isn't quite as pretty as Cherry Brandy can be, though!
I sprayed them with a miticide that is supposed to be all natural. It took half a bottle to cover the areas. Will new foliage replace the diseased foliage once the spider mites leave?

new foliage should come back as these are, for the most part, tough plants. i am waiting for new foliage on one of mine as i speak. i have two plants, one on the east side of each brick driveway pillar. one had them, one didn't. i picked them as this spot doesn't get much watering either...mainly just rain.
which organic miticide did you use? i'd be interested.
if i don't see new foliage, i will cut back the bad one and hopefully new growth will start from the roots.

I don't have the bottle handy right now but it was off the shelf at Wal Mart, in a teal bottle with purple accents. Supposed to be 3 in 1, fungicide, miticide, insecticide. I'm thinking it has neem?

maybe so. the only reason i didn't use neem on mine is because, unlike the cooking spray, the neem isn't water soluble and if i left it on it would have burned them up...so hot here and no rain......sigh.

My gaura has not bloomed since I bought it 3 years ago. I am unemployed now, and spend more time in the garden. I found a few of these on the bud stems. Any idea what it is, and how to treat? Thanks in advance!

I've also had issues with scale that went unnoticed at the base of the plant on Gauras. Just something else to look for.

the longer i have gaura in the garden, the more i spot different kinds of problems on them. i know they are supposed to be an easy plant but truthfully, mine get all kinds of pests at one time or another. there is a tiny metallic beetle that sometimes covers entire plants. some of the plants die out and then in spring, lots of new babies pop up. i'm inclined to leave some of them and they usually turn out fine and more resistant. as far as drought tolerant, gaura is, but i have some that get way more water than they should and they do just as well as the drier areas, if not better.

i don't know what that last insect posted is...i would say it is not harmful at first glance but if you post on the insect id forum, you'll likely get an answer very quickly.