Bring lasting color and pollinator power to your garden with Gaillardia aristata, a hardy, long-blooming perennial known for its daisy-like blooms in bold red, orange, and yellow tones. Commonly called Blanket Flower, this North American native thrives in tough conditions, offering exceptional drought tolerance and a lengthy bloom season from early summer to frost. Reaching 18 to 30 inches high and spreading up to 2 feet wide, Gaillardia aristata is a compact, mounding plant that's ideal for sunny borders, cottage gardens, and wildflower meadows. It attracts butterflies, bees, and other beneficial pollinators while resisting deer and rabbits, making it both beautiful and low-maintenance.
Often referred to as Blanket Flower due to the way it blankets fields with vibrant color, Gaillardia aristata is perfect for mass plantings, xeriscaping, or naturalizing open areas. It's also right at home in containers or mixed with other tough perennials. For companion planting, pair it with Coreopsis, Echinacea, Salvia, or Rudbeckia for a dynamic, pollinator-friendly display that thrives in full sun and lean soils.
Gaillardia aristata prefers well-drained soil and full sunlight, performing best in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9. It tolerates heat, poor soil, and drought once established, returning reliably each year with minimal care. Note when starting from seed, plants usually do not flower the first year. Its rugged adaptability, generous bloom time, and native heritage make it a standout in any low-maintenance, eco-friendly garden.
