Baby's breath [Gypsophila paniculata L. var. paniculata][GYPPA][CDFA list: B] Photographs Map of Distribution
SYNONYMS:maiden’s breath, tall gypsophyll
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:Herbaceous perennial with sparse foliage and slender, openly branched stems, to 1 m tall. Commonly grown as an ornamental, babysbreath has escaped cultivation and is a noxious weed in some situations. Introduced from Eurasia.
SEEDLINGS:Cotyledons narrowly oblong, ~ 5-10 mm long.
MATURE PLANT:Stems slender, erect to spreading, swollen at the nodes (point of leaf attachment). Leaves opposite, narrowly lanceolate, 2-9 mm wide, glabrous.
ROOTS and UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES:Crown (sometimes described as a rhizome) thick, not creeping. Roots deep, can penetrate soil to 4 m and survive in cold winter areas. New shoots grow from the crown, but not roots. Severed crown pieces can produce new shoots, but not roots. Severed root pieces do not produce new shoots.
FLOWERS:July-October. Inflorescences airy, panicle-like, +/- dichotomously branched. Flowers numerous, ~ 6-8 mm diameter. Petals 5, white, ~ 2-4 mm long. Sepals 5, fused, cup-like, glabrous, 1.5-2.1 mm long, with 5 teeth, membranous between teeth. Styles 2. Stamens 10. Bracts below flowers lacking.
FRUITS and SEEDS:Capsules spherical to oblong, slightly longer than the fused sepals, open by 4 valves to release 2-several seeds. Seeds, black, 1-2 mm long, disc- to bean-shaped, with longitudinal rows of minute tubercles.
back to top of page
POSTSENESCENCE CHARACTERISTICS:Aerial parts die back in cold winter climates.
HABITAT:Disturbed sites, especially on sandy soils and in open, grassy places. Tolerates considerable variation in temperature and moisture, including Mediterranean, semi-desert, cold winter climates, and soils with a permafrost.
DISTRIBUTION:Cascade Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, eastern North Coast Ranges, western South Coast Ranges, San Joaquin Valley, South Coast, Mojave Desert. To 2000 m (6550 ft), but usually above 1200 m (3900 ft).
PROPAGATION/PHENOLOGY:Reproduces by seed. Most seed disperses near the parent, but plants can break off at ground level and tumble with the wind, dispersing seed to greater distances. One plant can produce several thousand seeds. Seeds typically lack or have a short dormancy period. Most germination occurs between 10-30º C. Seedlings emerge from depths of 0-5 cm in soil (0-1 cm optimal).
MANAGEMENT FAVORING/DISCOURAGING SURVIVAL:Severing the crown from the roots by cultivation or hand-cutting to several inches below the soil surface destroys plants. Mowing or clipping does not appear to reduce plant vigor.
SIMILAR SPECIES:Annual babysbreath [Gypsophila elegans M. Bieb. var. elegans], an introduced weed of pine-fir forests in the northern Sierra Nevada, and glandular babysbreath [Gypsophila scorzonerifolia Ser.], an introduced perennial of disturbed sites in the southeastern Sierra Nevada, closely resemble babysbreath. However, annual babysbreath differs primarily in its annual to biennial life cycle, calyces 3-5 mm long, and slender taproot. Glandular babysbreath has sepals and flower stalks covered with glandular hairs and leaves typically 10-35 mm wide.
CONTROL METHODS:
Biology and prevention: Baby's breath is an escaped ornamental in the United States. It was originally introduced from Eurasia in the late 1800's and is still widely sold for ornamental landscaping and floral arrangements. It is an extremely hardy perennial forb with a very deep taproot up to 4 m deep. Baby's breath spreads in a tumbleweed fashion by abscising just above the ground and releasing seed as it rolls. Large infestations are generally found where skeletons collect, along fencelines and in ditches and ravines. It is classified as a CDFA Class B noxious weed and is illegal to plant in California.
Mechanical: Hand pulling mature baby's breath plants is extremely difficult. The shoot system of the plant must be severed below the thickened crown of the plant. This may require digging to a depth of six inches to one foot. Regrowth is usually rare if the complete crown is removed. Older plants tolerate mowing or light grazing by cattle. Applying heavy grazing pressure may reduce seed production, but may also increase susceptibility to invasion by other weedy species. In agricultural situations, plants can tolerate shallow, infrequent tillage, but do not generally persist in extensively tilled fields. Incorporation of a summer fallow period utilizing tillage and herbicides can greatly assist in eradicating baby's breath.
Biological and competitive species: Baby's breath has been observed to invade perennial bunchgrasses (both native and introduced) in Saskatchewan, Canada. It appears to be favored in disturbed areas within grasslands, in sandy and slightly alkaline areas. Therefore, newly detected infestations should be aggressively controlled, as even robust perennial grasses may not be able to exclude baby's breath.
Chemical: There is little information on effective herbicides for baby's breath control. Those herbicides previously tested (picloram at 1 lb ae/A, dicamba at 2 lb ae/A, MCPP at 7 lb ae/A, and 2,4-D at 2 lb ae/A) are limited in their effectiveness except at high rates. This may be due to the plant's sparse foliage and deep root system. Spot treatments of glyphosate can provide some control and should prevent seed production. However, regrowth is likely and retreatment may be necessary.