Blanket Flower, <em>Gaillardia</em> spp.

Blanket fl ower has brightly colored red and/or yellow flowers. — Blanket flower has brightly colored red and/or yellow flowers.

Overview of Blanket Flower

With brightly colored daisy-like flowers in shades of red, orange, and yellow, the heat-tolerant and heavy blooming blanket flower is a good addition to the informal garden. There are about 25-30 species of Gaillardia, a genus of annuals, biennials, and perennials in the sunflower family (Asteraceae) all native to the Americas. The common name “blanket flower” may have come from the resemblance of the flowers to brightly patterned Native American blankets in similar colors, the ability of wild species to completely cover the ground with a blanket of color, or even to the legend of a Native American weaver whose grave was always covered with blooming flowers that were as brilliantly colored as the blankets he had made.

A field of Gaillardia pulchella near Austin, Texas. — A field of *Gaillardia pulchella* near Austin, Texas.

The genus was named after French naturalist Antoine Rene Gaillard de Charentoneau. The first species described in 1788 was the annual G. pulchella (= G. drummondi, G. bicolor), native from the southeastern US to Colorado and south into Mexico, with its 2-inch flowers of red with yellow tips. Lewis and Clark collected the much larger-flowered, short-lived perennial G. aristata in Montana in 1806, with its variable fringed flowers in reds and yellows. These two species hybridized in a Belgian garden in 1857 to produce Gaillardia x grandiflora, the most common type of blanket flower grown in gardens. This hybrid has the best characteristics of both parents: large flowers, a perennial habit, good tolerance to heat, drought, and poor soil, and cold hardiness. Although more vigorous than the species, they do tend to be relatively short-lived perennials, however.

Gaillardia have daisy-like flowers with central disc and sterile ray flowers. — *Gaillardia* have daisy-like flowers with central disc and sterile ray flowers.

The flowers of all Gaillardia species are composed of many small central disc flowers surrounded by 15 or more sterile ray flowers (although a few species lack ray flowers). The ray flowers usually are long and flat like petals with three-toothed tips, but in some they may be curled up like trumpets.

A blanket flower with tubular ray flowers surrounding the central disc flowers.

Each flower head can appear single or double, with either a classic daisy form, or with the central disc filled with trumpet-shaped, 5-petaled flowers. The ray flowers often have bands of color, typically with the outer half yellow and the rest of the ray red, orange, or maroon. In other varieties the entire flower head is the same color or they may have solid-colored rays with a different colored central disc. The 2-4“ flowerheads are produced individually on stems held just above the foliage.

A fuzzy-looking head filled with seeds is left after the petals fall.

The mounding or slightly sprawling plants are covered in summer and fall with flowers that butterflies and native bees love to visit. The taller cultivars make nice cut flowers. The flowers age to form a globular, fuzzy-looking head filled with seeds that are eaten by birds (especially goldfinches), or fall to the ground to self-sow.

The grey-green leaves are usually soft and hairy and often strap-shaped.

The alternate, gray-green leaves on these plants are generally large, soft and hairy, and strap-shaped. The edges vary from smooth to toothed to lobed, and all types can occur on the same plant. The leaves contain compounds (lactones) that can cause contact dermatitis in susceptible individuals, so gloves should be worn when handling the plants.

Landscape Use of Blanket Flower

Although the species are appropriate in dry prairie or meadow gardens and will naturalize under ideal conditions – and may be included in wildflower seed mixes – most gardeners grow some form of Gaillardia x grandiflora.

Combine blanket flower with other perennials with fine foliage or strap-like leaves.

These make colorful additions to perennial borders or mixed beds, and in cottage gardens. The compact cultivars are excellent massed at the front of borders. They can be used in containers, alone or in combination with other plants that tolerate dry conditions. Combine blanket flower with ornamental grasses, and intersperse with gray- or blue-foliaged plants to tone down the hot colors of the blanket flower. They can be stunning when planted with blue or purple flowering plants. Their texture contrasts nicely with strappy daylily foliage or the very fine foliage of yarrow. They work well with coreopsis, sunflowers and purple coneflower, for a profusion of daisy-like flowers, and mix nicely with other North American natives such as Liatris and Rudbeckia.

Grow blanket flower in sun in fast-draining soil.

Grow all types of gaillardias in full sun and well-drained soils. They rarely survive the winter in heavier soil, so need to be grown on berms or in containers if that is all you have. Plants tend to be short lived (average lifespan for Gaillardia x grandiflora is two years) not only because of this requirement for excellent drainage, but also because they bloom so prolifically that they burn themselves out quickly. Deadheading is not necessary but will help prolong the plants life by not allowing them to put energy into producing seeds. It will keep the plant looking tidier and may encourage additional blooms. Cutting the plants back to 6 inches in late summer may increase the chance of winter survival. Plants benefit from mulching (or snow cover) in very cold winters but most will survive to -20° F without crown protection (as long as drainage is good). Once established, they are drought tolerant and do not require much fertilization. These plants have few pest problems, although they are susceptible to aster yellows and powdery mildew. Deer and rabbits usually avoid blanket flower.

Many types of blanket flower can be grown from seed.

Propagating Blanket Flower

The species and some hybrids are easily propagated from seed, and will often self sow. Scatter the seed of annual types on the soil surface (they need light to germinate) where you want them to grow – but mark the area so you know where to expect them and don’t inadvertently pull them out, as the seedlings resemble young dandelions. For perennial types, start indoors about 6-8 weeks before the average last frost (they generally take 4-5 months from sowing to flowering), and start annual types 4-6 weeks before the average last frost. Transplant annuals outdoors just after the last spring frost; set perennials out a bit later. Vegetative varieties can be propagated from basal cuttings or by division. If the plants survive long enough, divide in spring or early fall every 2-3 years to maintain vigor.

Species and Varieties of Blanket Flower

Gaillardia aristata
This robust, large-flowered perennial is native from the prairies of North America into the Rocky Mountains, including Wisconsin. It has yellow rays that are often red-orange at the base; the central disc is usually red-orange. Hardy in zones 3a. Some of the more common cultivars include:

‘Amber Wheels’ has fringed yellow ray flowers and a amber-red center.
‘Maxima Aurea’ has yellow rays and a darker yellow disc. It grows about 20 inches high and wide.
The SUNRITA® series is compact (14-18 inches tall) with large, 3- to 4-inch flowers in a range of colors. ‘Burgundy Improved’ has bright red flowers and a dark center. ‘Golden Yellow’ has pure yellow flowers with yellow centers. ‘Red Yellow Tip Improved’ has wide red rings with dark yellow tips. ‘Yellow Red Ring’ has a narrow red ring and wide yellow tips. Hardy to zone 4a.

Gaillardia pulchella
This annual species can grow up to three feet tall, with lots of small all red, all yellow, or yellow-tipped red ray flowers with dark purple disc florets. Plants generally begin flowering about three months after sowing. The species tends to flop without support, but named varieties tend to be less rangy. This species is native to Wisconsin.

‘Lorenziana’ (= ‘Double Mix’) is a seed variety with double flowerheads made of tubular flowers in yellow and red shades. Grows about 1 foot tall.
‘Red Plume’ is a 1991 All-America Selections Winner with a dense, mounded habit that grows 12 inches tall. It has double flowerheads composed of tubular flowers. ‘Yellow Plume’ is similar variety with yellow flowers.
‘Sundance Bicolor’ has fully double flowerheads composed of red tubular flowers with yellow tips. Grows 12 inches tall and 6 inches wide. it was an All-America Selections Winner in 2003.

Gaillardia x grandiflora
This hybrid of the two species above is quite variable, growing up to 3 feet tall (but tends to flop, so those tall types need support), but breeders are developing more compact cultivars, as well as flowers in single colors, tubular ray flower, and double flowers. There are numerous cultivars, with more being introduced all the time. Usually hardy in zone 3a, but hardiness may vary by variety. The following are some of the more commonly available cultivars:

The Arizona series is seed propagated and grows 12 inches tall and 14 inches wide. It is available in a range of colors, including ‘Arizona Sun’ (2005 All-America Selections Winner) with bright yellow ends on red ray flowers and a red center, ‘Arizona Apricot’ (2011 All-America Selections Winner) with soft-orange flowers with yellow tips and a yellow center, ‘Arizona Red Shades’ with rosy red rays with yellow centers. A mixture of these colors is also available. All are early blooming and zone 3a hardy.
‘Burgundy’ (= ‘Burgunder’) is a seed variety with deep, wine-red ray flowers that soften in color as they age, and a yellow center that ages to dark red. Plants grow 2-2.5 feet tall. It self-sows reliably and is hardy in zone 3a.
‘Dazzler’ is 12 inches tall with golden yellow tipped red ray flowers.
‘Goblin’ (= ‘Kobold’) is an older seed propagated variety with flat red rays tipped with yellow on 12-14 inch tall plants. ‘Golden Goblin’ (= ‘Goldkobold’) is an all-yellow version. Self seeds freely. Hardy to zone 3a.
The GUSTO™ series has compact, mounded habits (5 to 8 inch tall and 12 to 14 inches wide) plants that habit, continuous flowering with new blooms covering the old ones. The series includes ‘Lemon’ with solid yellow flowers, ‘Paprika’ with ?? flowers, ‘Orange Zest’ with vivid orange flowers, and ‘Sweet Chili’ with bicolor yellow and red flowers. Hardy to zone 4a. Propagated from cuttings.
The Lunar™ series is very short at 8-10 inches tall and flowers with flat rays. Harvest Moon has yellow rays with red base and central disc, while Two Moon is red with yellow tips.
The Mesa series is a F1 hybrid, seed propagated series that grows 14 to 16 inches tall by 20 to 22 inches wide and flowers the first year after sowing. Colors include the AAS winner (2010) ‘Mesa Yellow’ with solid yellow flowers, ‘Mesa Bright Bicolor’ with yellow flowers with small red central rings, ‘Mesa Peach’ with yellow flowers with orange central rings, and ‘Mesa Red’ with solid red flowers.
‘Oranges and Lemons’ is a sterile, vegetative cultivar that grows 18-24 inches tall. It features peachy-orange petals with yellow tips and a golden yellow central cone. Hardy in zone 5a.
‘Sundance Bicolor’, another AAS winner (2003), is a double-flowered cultivar with a low trailing habit. The 2” double, globe-shaped blossoms have tubular petals with flared tips. The coloration is quite variable, even on a single plant, ranging from nearly all red to nearly all yellow on certain flowers, and both colors in vary amounts on others.
‘Tokajer’ is tall (3 feet) with orange-red flowers.