Gypsophila (Bristol Fairy, Baby’s Breath)

Common Name: Bristol Fairy, Baby’s Breath

Kingdom: Plantae

Order: Caryophyllales

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Genus: Gypsophila

Gypsophila also known as Bristol Fairy or Baby’s Breath is a herbaceous plant. Although, Bristol Fairy is just one species of this genus. There are around 100 known species of this genus and most of them are similar to Bristol Fairy in their appearance, which is the reason for the whole species to be named as that. The colors and shades of these flowers may vary from one species to another. They are even bright pink in some cases.

It is found all over the world these days. It has small flowers that look very attractive. The Bristol Fairy produces a lot of flowers that are pure white in color. The leaves of this plant are grey-green colored and narrow shaped.

A special feature of this plant is that it is pest resistant. This makes it very popular among the gardeners. It is mostly a summer species and blooms only during the summer season, but some species are evergreen as well. It takes approximately five years to become an entirely mature plant.

How to Grow:

The best time to grow Gypsophila is spring season and then it blooms all over the summer season. The plant needs proper sunlight for its growth and is comparatively easier to grow as compared to other flowers.

1. Keep the seeds for germination and then wait till the seedlings come out of the seeds.
2. Sow the seedlings in soil made rich in organic content by adding manure or compost to it.
3. Select a place that gets adequate sunlight for planting the seedlings.
4. Keep the soil moist most of the times but do not make it damp to save the plants from getting destroyed.

Propagation:

The Gypsophila plant can be grown by using the seeds (as discussed above) or by cuttings.

Uses:

These flowers are useful in many ways. They are used as cut flowers in bouquet arrangements, in decorations. It is also a favorite of gardeners because of the appearance and ease of growing.

Apart from the ornamental usage, these flowers have numerous medicinal traits. They are also used in detergents and soaps because of their chemical properties as laboratory reagents. It is also used in shampoos.