Blanket flower (gaillardia)

About Blanket flower (gaillardia)

Blanket flower is a hot-colored daisy in red, orange, yellow and burgundy, often banded, that blooms from early summer until frost. It loves heat, sun, sand and drought and is visited by bees and butterflies, while goldfinches eat the seeds. The garden hybrid is short-lived (about two years on average, per Wisconsin Extension) but reseeds; G. pulchella is usually grown as an annual. Heads-up: NRCS says blanketflower may become weedy or invasive in some regions, NC State notes it reseeds and can turn weedy, and UF/IFAS says G. pulchella is probably not native to Florida.

Wisconsin lists G. aristata and most G. x grandiflora for zone 3 (some cultivars 4-5); NC State lists G. aristata for 3-8 and the hybrid for 7-10. It rarely survives winter in heavy, wet soil.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

• Start seeds indoors: 4 to 8 weeks before the last frost
• Sow seeds outdoors: around the last frost

Days to bloom count from sowing: Wisconsin says 4-5 months, and AAS lists about 105 days for 'Arizona Apricot' and 120 for 'Mesa Yellow', which flower the first year. Start seed indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost (Wisconsin; UC says 4-6) or sow outdoors right after the last frost; seed needs light to sprout, so barely cover it. In the desert, fall planting works best (UC).

Soil

Sharply drained sandy or loamy soil, even poor soil; it tolerates salt (UF/IFAS) and rarely survives winter in heavy clay (Wisconsin; NC State).

Plant in sharply drained, even poor, sandy or loamy soil; add humus and keep evenly moist only while plants settle in (NC State; Wisconsin).

Feeding

Avoid overwatering and fertilizing (UC Master Gardeners); blanket flower needs little fertilizer (Wisconsin), and rich, wet soil shortens its already short life.

Harvest

Flowers from early summer to frost. Deadheading isn't required but keeps flowers coming and may help plants live longer; cutting plants back to about 6 inches in late summer may improve winter survival (Wisconsin). Wear gloves: the hairy leaves can irritate skin.

Varieties (20)

Good neighbors

Coreopsis (tickseed), Sunflower, Purple coneflower (echinacea), Blazing star (liatris), Black-eyed Susan

Wisconsin Extension suggests blanket flower with coreopsis, sunflowers, purple coneflower, blazing star and black-eyed Susan in a sunny border; these are design pairings. Penn State and Wisconsin list blanketflower among flowers for beneficial insects, a modest, extension-level recommendation rather than trial evidence.

Pests to watch for

Aphids, Thrips, Four-lined plant bug

Diseases and problems

Aster yellows, Powdery mildew, Leaf spot, Root rot

In the kitchen

Safety: The hairy leaves contain lactones that can cause an itchy skin rash, so wear gloves (Wisconsin; NC State).

Pets: Not listed by the ASPCA