Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) is one of North America's most cheerful native wildflowers, producing brilliant daisy-like blooms in glowing shades of scarlet, crimson, orange, and golden yellow from late spring until frost. Often carpeting roadsides, open prairies, and sunny meadows, this long-blooming annual or short-lived perennial creates spectacular displays that seem to shimmer in the summer sunshine. Its vivid bicolored flowers resemble the richly patterned woven blankets traditionally crafted by Native American tribes, giving rise to its well-known common name.
Fast-growing and exceptionally easy to cultivate, Indian Blanket forms bushy, well-branched plants reaching 18 to 24 inches tall. The blooms are held above gray-green foliage on sturdy stems that continue producing flowers for months with minimal care. Highly tolerant of heat, drought, poor soils, and coastal conditions, it is one of the finest choices for colorful, low-maintenance gardens and naturalized landscapes.
Garden Uses
Indian Blanket is perfect for wildflower meadows, prairie restorations, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens, pollinator plantings, roadside plantings, xeriscapes, and sunny perennial borders. It performs equally well in mass plantings where the vivid flowers create striking drifts of color or scattered naturally among native grasses and other wildflowers.
Its compact habit also makes it suitable for containers, raised beds, rock gardens, and edging sunny pathways. The long-lasting flowers are excellent for fresh bouquets, while the dried seed heads provide late-season interest and food for birds.
Growing Information
Indian Blanket thrives in full sun and prefers well-drained soil. Sandy, gravelly, rocky, and average garden soils all produce excellent results, while overly rich or poorly drained soils may shorten the plant's lifespan. Mature plants generally reach 18 to 24 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 18 inches.
Seeds may be sown directly outdoors after danger of frost has passed or started indoors 6 to 8 weeks earlier. Simply press seeds lightly into the soil, as light aids germination. Maintain temperatures around 70°F. Germination typically occurs within 10 to 20 days.
Once established, Indian Blanket requires very little supplemental watering and thrives in hot, dry weather. Removing spent flowers encourages continuous blooming, although allowing some flowers to mature provides seed for natural reseeding and winter bird food.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Gaillardia pulchella |
| Common Name | Indian Blanket, Firewheel |
| Plant Type | Annual or short-lived perennial wildflower |
| Height | 18-24 inches |
| Spread | 12-18 inches |
| Bloom Color | Scarlet, red, orange, and golden yellow |
| Bloom Season | Late spring through frost |
| Light Requirements | Full sun |
| Water Needs | Low once established |
| Soil Type | Well-drained sandy, rocky, or average soils |
| USDA Zones | 3-10 |
| Drought Tolerance | Excellent |
| Pollinator Friendly | Excellent |
Sundance Bicolor (Gaillardia 'Sundance Bicolor') is a spectacular double-flowered blanket flower that transforms one of America's favorite native wildflowers into an eye-catching garden showpiece. Instead of the traditional daisy-like blooms, Sundance Bicolor produces fully double, globe-shaped flowers with frilly petals in rich crimson-red accented by brilliant golden-yellow tips. The unique pompon-like blooms resemble miniature chrysanthemums or carnations and provide continuous color from early summer until frost.
Compact, vigorous, and exceptionally floriferous, Sundance Bicolor grows into a tidy mound approximately 18 to 24 inches tall, producing dozens of long-lasting blooms held well above attractive gray-green foliage. Its remarkable tolerance for heat, drought, humidity, and poor soils makes it an outstanding performer throughout much of North America, where it continues blooming long after many other annuals and short-lived perennials have faded.
Garden Uses
Sundance Bicolor is ideal for sunny perennial borders, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens, pollinator plantings, xeriscapes, cutting gardens, and mixed containers. Its compact habit also makes it an excellent choice for edging pathways, raised beds, patio planters, and rock gardens.
The unusual double blooms combine beautifully with purple coneflowers, salvias, coreopsis, rudbeckias, yarrow, ornamental grasses, lavender, and blue flowering perennials. Long, sturdy stems make outstanding cut flowers, while the bright blooms add vibrant color to fresh bouquets throughout the summer.
Growing Information
Sundance Bicolor thrives in full sun and performs best in well-drained soil. Sandy, rocky, gravelly, and average garden soils all produce excellent results, while overly rich or poorly drained soils may reduce flowering and longevity. Mature plants typically reach 18 to 24 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 18 inches.
Seeds may be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the final frost or sown directly outdoors once the soil has warmed. Press seeds lightly into the soil without covering heavily, as light aids germination. Maintain temperatures around 70°F. Germination generally occurs within 10 to 20 days.
Once established, plants require little maintenance beyond occasional watering during prolonged drought. Removing spent blooms encourages an even heavier display of flowers throughout the growing season, although leaving a few seed heads late in the season benefits visiting birds.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Gaillardia 'Sundance Bicolor' |
| Common Name | Sundance Bicolor Blanket Flower |
| Plant Type | Annual or short-lived perennial |
| Height | 18-24 inches |
| Spread | 12-18 inches |
| Bloom Color | Deep crimson-red with golden-yellow petal tips |
| Bloom Season | Early summer through frost |
| Light Requirements | Full sun |
| Water Needs | Low once established |
| Soil Type | Well-drained sandy, rocky, or average soil |
| USDA Zones | 3-10 |
| Drought Tolerance | Excellent |
| Pollinator Friendly | Yes |
Arizona Apricot (Gaillardia × grandiflora) is an award-winning blanket flower that produces a stunning display of large, soft apricot-orange blooms with golden-yellow edges from late spring until frost. Part of the renowned Arizona Series, this compact perennial combines exceptional heat tolerance, outstanding drought resistance, and one of the longest blooming seasons of any garden perennial. Its warm sunset colors bring a softer, more refined palette to the garden while still delivering the rugged performance for which Gaillardias are famous.
Growing into neat, rounded mounds just 10 to 12 inches tall, Arizona Apricot is covered with cheerful daisy-like flowers that continue blooming almost continuously throughout the growing season. The compact habit makes it especially well suited for borders, containers, and smaller garden spaces where months of dependable color are desired. Its silver-green foliage provides an attractive backdrop for the glowing flowers while remaining tidy throughout the season.
Garden Uses
Arizona Apricot is an excellent choice for perennial borders, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens, pollinator plantings, rock gardens, xeriscapes, and sunny edging. Its naturally compact habit also makes it one of the finest Gaillardias for containers, patio planters, window boxes, and raised beds.
The warm apricot flowers blend beautifully with purple salvias, lavender, blue veronica, coreopsis, echinacea, yarrow, ornamental grasses, and white flowering perennials. The long stems also provide attractive cut flowers for fresh bouquets throughout the summer months.
Growing Information
Arizona Apricot thrives in full sun and performs best in well-drained soil. Sandy, gravelly, rocky, and average garden soils are all suitable, while heavy clay or consistently wet conditions should be avoided. Mature plants typically grow 10 to 12 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 15 inches.
Seeds may be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the final frost or sown directly outdoors after danger of frost has passed. Press seeds lightly into the soil, as light improves germination. Maintain temperatures near 70°F. Germination generally occurs within 10 to 20 days.
Once established, Arizona Apricot requires minimal watering and thrives during hot, dry summers. Removing spent flowers encourages nearly continuous blooming, although allowing a few blooms to mature provides seed for birds later in the season. Dividing mature clumps every few years helps maintain vigorous flowering.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Gaillardia × grandiflora |
| Common Name | Arizona Apricot Blanket Flower |
| Plant Type | Hardy perennial |
| Height | 10-12 inches |
| Spread | 12-15 inches |
| Bloom Color | Soft apricot-orange with golden-yellow edges |
| Bloom Season | Late spring through frost |
| Light Requirements | Full sun |
| Water Needs | Low once established |
| Soil Type | Well-drained sandy, rocky, or average soils |
| USDA Zones | 3-10 |
| Drought Tolerance | Excellent |
| Pollinator Friendly | Excellent |
Goblin Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata 'Goblin' / 'Kobold') is a compact, long-blooming perennial that packs brilliant color into a tidy, easy-to-manage plant. Producing masses of large daisy-like flowers in rich mahogany-red with glowing golden-yellow edges, Goblin creates an almost continuous display from early summer until frost. Its compact habit, exceptional durability, and outstanding drought tolerance have made it one of the most popular blanket flower varieties for borders, rock gardens, and containers.
Growing just 12 to 15 inches tall, Goblin forms dense, rounded clumps of gray-green foliage that become nearly hidden beneath its cheerful blooms during the flowering season. Unlike taller varieties that may require staking, Goblin remains naturally compact and sturdy while thriving in intense summer heat, poor soils, and dry conditions. Its vivid flowers bring brilliant color to the landscape while attracting butterflies, bees, and other valuable pollinators throughout the growing season.
Garden Uses
Goblin is ideal for perennial borders, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens, rock gardens, xeriscapes, prairie plantings, and sunny edging. Its compact growth habit also makes it an excellent choice for patio containers, window boxes, raised beds, and small-space gardens where dependable color is desired throughout the summer.
The rich red and yellow blooms pair beautifully with blue salvias, lavender, coreopsis, yarrow, echinacea, catmint, ornamental grasses, and white flowering perennials. The long-lasting flowers are excellent for fresh bouquets and continue blooming with regular deadheading.
Growing Information
Goblin Blanket Flower performs best in full sun and well-drained soil. Sandy, rocky, gravelly, and average garden soils are all suitable, while heavy clay and overly wet conditions should be avoided. Mature plants typically grow 12 to 15 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 18 inches.
Seeds may be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the final spring frost or sown directly outdoors after danger of frost has passed. Press seeds lightly into the soil without covering deeply, as light encourages germination. Maintain temperatures around 70°F. Germination generally occurs within 10 to 20 days.
Once established, Goblin requires very little maintenance beyond occasional watering during prolonged drought. Removing spent flowers encourages nonstop blooming throughout the season, while dividing mature plants every 3 to 4 years helps maintain vigorous growth and flowering.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Gaillardia aristata 'Goblin' ('Kobold') |
| Common Name | Goblin Blanket Flower |
| Plant Type | Hardy perennial |
| Height | 12-15 inches |
| Spread | 12-18 inches |
| Bloom Color | Mahogany-red with golden-yellow edges |
| Bloom Season | Early summer through frost |
| Light Requirements | Full sun |
| Water Needs | Low once established |
| Soil Type | Well-drained sandy, rocky, or average soil |
| USDA Zones | 3-10 |
| Drought Tolerance | Excellent |
| Pollinator Friendly | Excellent |
Arizona Sun (Gaillardia × grandiflora) is one of the brightest and longest-blooming blanket flowers available, producing a spectacular display of fiery scarlet-red blooms boldly tipped with golden-yellow from late spring until frost. Bred as part of the award-winning Arizona Series, this compact perennial combines exceptional flower power with outstanding heat and drought tolerance, making it one of the finest performers for sunny gardens. Its brilliant sunset colors seem to glow against the silver-green foliage, bringing months of cheerful color even during the hottest days of summer.
Compact, well-branched plants grow into tidy mounds just 10 to 12 inches tall while producing dozens of large daisy-like flowers throughout the growing season. Unlike many taller blanket flowers, Arizona Sun rarely requires staking and maintains its attractive form in borders, containers, and mass plantings. Its nonstop blooms and rugged durability have earned numerous garden awards and made it a favorite among professional landscapers and home gardeners alike.
Garden Uses
Arizona Sun is ideal for perennial borders, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens, rock gardens, pollinator plantings, xeriscapes, edging, and patio containers. Its naturally compact habit makes it especially valuable in smaller gardens, raised beds, window boxes, and mixed planters where continuous color is desired.
The vivid red and yellow blooms combine beautifully with blue salvias, lavender, catmint, purple coneflowers, coreopsis, yarrow, ornamental grasses, and white flowering perennials. The sturdy stems also produce excellent cut flowers that remain colorful in bouquets for many days.
Growing Information
Arizona Sun thrives in full sun and performs best in well-drained soil. Sandy, gravelly, rocky, and average garden soils all produce excellent results, while poorly drained or consistently wet soils should be avoided. Mature plants typically reach 10 to 12 inches in height with a spread of 12 to 15 inches.
Seeds may be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the final spring frost or sown directly outdoors after danger of frost has passed. Press seeds gently into the soil without covering deeply, as light aids germination. Maintain temperatures around 70°F. Germination usually occurs within 10 to 20 days.
Once established, Arizona Sun requires very little supplemental watering and thrives during prolonged periods of heat and drought. Deadheading encourages continuous flowering throughout the season, although allowing a few blooms to mature provides seeds for visiting birds. Divide mature clumps every few years to maintain peak vigor.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Gaillardia × grandiflora |
| Common Name | Arizona Sun Blanket Flower |
| Plant Type | Hardy perennial |
| Height | 10-12 inches |
| Spread | 12-15 inches |
| Bloom Color | Scarlet-red with golden-yellow tips |
| Bloom Season | Late spring through frost |
| Light Requirements | Full sun |
| Water Needs | Low once established |
| Soil Type | Well-drained sandy, rocky, or average soil |
| USDA Zones | 3-10 |
| Drought Tolerance | Excellent |
| Pollinator Friendly | Excellent |