All about Baby’s Breath – History, Meaning, Facts, Care & More

Baby’s Breath flowers are known as the most favorite filler flower. It was introduced in America as early as 1828 when Victorian gardeners loved the snowy white blooms and dainty flowers and foliage. In the early 1990s, this type of flower is seen tucked in bouquets and flower arrangements. So many things have changed in the floristry, and that includes the uses of Baby’s Breath flowers. Most of the florists nowadays create beautiful bouquets for weddings, anniversary, and other special occasions using only the flowers of Baby’s Breath. They are no longer a filler flower but the main attraction in a floral bouquet.

• Baby’s Breath History

Known as Gypsophila family, Baby’s Breath derived its name from the kind of soil it thrives on. The soil is found to be high in gypsum which is a kind of mineral that makes the soil thick and heavy. Originally, the flowers were found in Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. After its popularity, the flowers were grown in different parts of the world.

Its name Baby’s Breath, however, was derived from the fact that this flower is widely used as a special baby shower gift. It is known in Great Britain by the name Soapwort. It was a staple flower during the Victorian era because they found this flower adorable in its light lacy floral canopy. Moreover, people of Great Britain gave high reverence to this flower because of its meaning and symbolism, especially in the Victorian language of flowers.

• Baby’s Breath Meaning

Every flower has its unique meaning and symbolism. The flowers of Baby’s Breath are used to symbolize and express everlasting love and purity. Because of this, wedding bouquets and wedding floral arrangements are always added with flowers of Baby’s Breath. It reminds people to cherish each loved one and show affection as much as possible. For a past love that remains in the heart, this is also the type of flower to give.

Another meaning of this flower is innocence. It is oftentimes associated with babies and infants who are innocent. This is the reason why florists use the flower in most of the flower bouquets for baby showers or for gifts to mothers who gave birth to a baby. Pink and white Baby’s Breath flowers are perfect to use to welcome a new baby girl while the blue or green one can be used for the baby boy. The florists dye the flowers to create a rainbow of color and express various sentiments and emotions.

In addition, this flower is also meant to refer to the Holy Spirit, purity, self-discipline, and freedom. There are many ways to make use of this type of flower when it comes to flower arrangements because of the meaning and symbols it is associated with. You can ask the florists for the best arrangement if you plan to send one to a birthday celebrant or to a special someone today.

Baby’s Breath comes in a wide array of colors, aside from dyed flowers. White Baby’s Breath means unity and spirituality while blue means honesty and respect. Orange flowers symbolize joy and optimism while red ones symbolize love and romance. Pink flowers are meant to express gentleness and emotions while purple ones convey royalty and beauty. Yellow blooms offer a gift of joy and cheerfulness.

• Baby’s Breath Facts

Baby’s Breath is a perennial type of flower that grows well in gypsum soil, a kind of soil that is thick and heavy. It blooms early summer and lasts until autumn or fall season. There are annual varieties of this flower as well, and they are enjoyed for about every occasion. The Gipsy is among the most popular types of annuals that can be grown in balconies and front porch while the Gypsophila Paniculata is one of the old varieties found in Central and Eastern Europe. Some Gypsophila can grow as tall as 1.2 meters in height while some can grow as much as 30 to 50 centimeters in width.

Baby’s Breath flower is one of the best for dried flowers. You can easily dry the flowers indoor for unique and attractive display at home or office or for keepsake purposes.

• Baby’s Breath Care

To grow Baby’s Breath, the seed can be planted in soil with gypsum mineral. The soil should be friable and rich in calcium. The soil should have a slight alkalinity level. In case your soil is too low in alkaline or acid, you can add sulfur to the soil. If you want to lower the acidity level of the soil, you can add lime. It is best to plant the seed just after the frost melted away. In less than 2 weeks, the plant will germinate quickly but the flowers will not yet bloom until the second or third year from late June until the beginning of the frost season.

This plant needs sunlight at least six hours each day. It can resist drought and heat provided that it gets deep soaking once every two weeks on the summer season and three weeks on rainy season. Fertilizers and plant food are essential for their growth. You can give an all-purpose type of fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in a ratio of 10-10-10. Once you get the plant established over time, you can enjoy its sturdy and vigorous blooms at peak time.

Special occasions will never be boring and dull anymore because you can make it interesting by sending or bringing beautiful bouquets of Gypsophila or Baby’s Breath flowers.