Gaillardia

The Gaillardia plant is often referred to as the Blanket Flower, thanks to the colorful woven works of art created by Indigenous Americans.

Belonging to the Sunflower family, Asteraceae, Gaillardia is native to both North and South America and was named after M. Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French patron of botany.

Blanket Flowers at Nature Hills

Producing daisy-like flowers from early summer to early fall, Gaillardia plants display petals that may be colored in shades of yellow, red, orange, or peach. Some petals may show off fiery bi-color patterns of red or orange with yellow.

Gaillardia will add a blast of color to sunny garden beds or borders, and the plant's nectar-rich blooms will bring bees and butterflies to your home's garden.

Plant Xeric sites and drought-prone hell strips along the sidewalk, by the roadside, or lining your driveway without worrying they'll shrink or falter! Use as edging along garden borders, or in Perennial and Cottage gardens to bring in a bright pop of color!

From the SpinTop™ series of earthy reds, burgundy, and yellow flowers atop neat and tidy mounds of rounded beauty, to the vibrant yellow flowers of the Arizona series of Blanket Flowers! Fanfare Blaze seems to have flowers for petals and is ringed with trumpet-shaped petals with curly and curvy effects to each bi-color bloom!

These are all incredibly cold-hardy down to Zone 3, are full-sun-tolerant, and even handle heat and summers throughout USDA growing zones 9 and 10!

Forming mounds of leaves ranging from lance-shaped to having narrow-lobed leaves, the polite plants create domes of beauty that are incredibly easy to grow!

Blanket Flower Care and Upkeep

Gaillardia plants maintain vigorous growth if planted in medium, well-drained soils in full sun, and do well as container plants. Blanket Flowers are tender perennials that tolerate some dry soils once established, and is drought resistant. These plants do not do well in un-amended, heavy clay soils or soggy conditions.

Provide regular, moderate moisture for new plants, but once established there is very little these plants won't be able to handle! In especially drought-prone areas, top off with 3-4 inches of arborist mulch to help hold in more moisture consistently and enrich the soil gradually.

Gaillardia self-sows, so deadheading not only prevents random seedlings from popping up but also encourages rebloom to keep the colorful blossoms returning all season long! In the autumn, after the foliage dies back, deadhead and snip off spent flowers unless you wish to encourage self-seeding or birds to come forage for seeds! In spring, before new growth emerges, prune away and remove all spent flower heads and foliage to have a clean, fresh start for that year's growth.

Brilliant Blanket Flowers at Nature Hills!

Hardy brilliance, the Gaillardia is a tough ombre! Check out all the options available for your garden this year from Nature Hills! You and your butterflies will appreciate it for years to come!

For all your colorful, flowering perennial needs, give our knowledgeable customer service staff a call to find out which Blanket Flower would be best for you!