Gypsophila
Baby's breath has moved through the full trend cycle — from grandmother's flower to Pinterest wedding staple to modern-again as a cloud-like installation material. One stem breaks into 20+ side stems, giving unmatched coverage per dollar. Dries perfectly, making it a foundation for preserved-flower wall art.
| Family | Caryophyllaceae |
|---|---|
| Origin | Europe, Asia; commercially grown worldwide |
| Peak season | all year |
| Availability | all year |
| Stem length | 50–80 cm |
| Vase life | 10–21 days |
| Colors | white, pink (dyed) |
| Price tier | budget |
Cut on a diagonal, fresh water. Filler flowers are forgiving.
- •One stem provides 30+ tiny florets — huge value per stem
- •Dries beautifully — hang upside down to preserve
- •Refreshed by 2010s Pinterest wedding aesthetic
- •Ethylene-sensitive — keep away from fruit
4 named gypsophila cultivars from the Lacy Bird master catalogue — each a distinct commercial variety.
Entries marked ✦ come from the Acanta master catalogue — the shared database of cut flowers, forms, colours and named varieties that florists and studios build on. The rest are our editorial genus reference. What is Acanta →
Bouquet Builder — by Lacy BirdDesign the bouquet. See it as a photo.
Botanical reference
- Common name
- Baby's Breath
- Also known as
- baby's breath, Arrostia paniculata, Gypsophila effusa, Gypsophila hungarica, Gypsophila manginii, Gypsophila paniculata adenopoda, Gypsophila paniculata lituanica, Gypsophila paniculata minutiflora, Gypsophila paniculata paniculata, Gypsophila parviflora, Gypsophila tatarica, Lychnis procera
- Distribution
- Altay, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, Czechia-Slovakia, East European Russia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan
- Cold storage
- 0–1 °C
- Ethylene sensitivity
- sensitive
- Uses
- medicinal plant
Open-data sources: GBIF, Wikidata (CC0/CC BY), USDA Agriculture Handbook 66 (public domain)
Frequently asked questions
When is Gypsophila in season?
Gypsophila peaks in all year, and florists can usually source it all year. Availability shifts by region and greenhouse supply.
How long does Gypsophila last in a vase?
Expect 10–21 days with proper conditioning — a clean vase, fresh water every couple of days, flower food, and a cool spot away from ripening fruit and direct heat.
What can I use instead of Gypsophila?
Good substitutes for Gypsophila include Statice. Match on look, colour and season — our substitute finder ranks the closest alternatives.
What does Gypsophila symbolise?
Gypsophila is associated with everlasting love, innocence, purity.
How do you care for cut Gypsophila?
One stem provides 30+ tiny florets — huge value per stem
Related flowers
Free to quote and cite with attribution and a link back, for non-commercial and editorial use (blogs, journalism, classrooms, research).
Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — “Gypsophila”. https://lacybird.com/flowers/gypsophila/<a href="https://lacybird.com/flowers/gypsophila/">Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — Gypsophila</a>