'Arizona Red Shades' Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)
Perennial
- Crimson-red flowers instantly heat up the landscape!
- Native perennial thrives in sunny gardens.
- Long-blooming, from early summer through fall.
- Drought tolerant, deer resistant, and easy to grow.
- Zones 3-10, sun, 12" tall x 12" wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Gaillardia aristata , or blanket flower, is a native perennial that attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, making it beneficial for wildlife. It boasts cheerful bloom for weeks, even longer if you give it a trim to remove old flowers. Unbothered by deer or rabbits, you can count on this blanket flower to provide a blanket of flowers, even in the hottest, driest spots in your landscape.
Details
Common name: Blanket flower
Zone: 3 - 10
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours sun)
Height x Width: 10 - 12" x 12"
Flower color: Red shades
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Late spring-fall
Bloom time: Summer - fall
Features: Space savers, native, low flammability, deer resistant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, container plants, cold tolerant, best for beginners
Uses: Accent, border, containers, cottage gardening, edging, ground cover, massing, naturalizing, small spaces
How to Grow
Light: Full sun is best for maximum bloom
Water: Dry to medium
Spacing: 18 in
Fertilizing: In average soil, needs almost no fertilizer. Grows well in lean soil. Do not over fertilize.
Winterizing: Cut back in fall or spring.
Maintenance & Pruning: Shear flower spikes after initial flowering to promote continued bloom. Does not require deadheading to keep it blooming all season, but you'll get more blooms and maintain a tidier habit if you do deadhead and your blooms will keep going well into fall.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.