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Gaillardia aestivalis

Phonetic Spelling
gay-LAR-dee-uh eh-stih-VAL-is
Description

Lanceleaf blanket flower is a perennial flower in the Asteraceae (daisy) family native to North Carolina. 

This perennial is easy to grow but fairly short-lived.  Plant in full sun and regular, well-drained soil.  Once established, it will also tolerate drought and dry soil.  The showy yellow flowers appear from late spring into the fall and are one of the best late-season flowers that attract butterflies. It propagates quickly through its wind dispersed seeds so it will self-seed in the garden.  

With showy compound yellow flowers that reach up to 3 inches in diameter, this erect perennial will grow quickly in upright clumps up to 1 foot wide and 18 inches tall.  

Use this native plant in a wildflower garden, the front of a perennial border, in a pollinator garden, cottage, or rock garden, and to tuck into small spaces where it can add bright dots of yellow blooms all growing season.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious insect or disease problems, though root rot can occur in poorly drained soils.

More information on Gaillardia.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Pollinator Garden in Full Sun
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Burgundy'
    Deep red flowers
  • 'Grape Sensation'
    Grape colored flowers and longer lived plant
'Burgundy', 'Grape Sensation'
Tags:
#showy flowers#drought tolerant#fall flowers#red flowers#yellow flowers#native perennial#cottage garden#NC native#summer flowers#native garden#long bloom time#wind dispersed seeds#rock garden#cutting garden#pollinator plant#flowers late spring#flowers mid-summer#gray-green leaves#flowers early summer#NC Native Pollinator Plant#flowers late summer#dry soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#flowers early fall#stormwater demo garden orange co#wet soils intolerant#wildflower#wildlife friendly#poor soil tolerant
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Burgundy'
    Deep red flowers
  • 'Grape Sensation'
    Grape colored flowers and longer lived plant
'Burgundy', 'Grape Sensation'
Tags:
#showy flowers#drought tolerant#fall flowers#red flowers#yellow flowers#native perennial#cottage garden#NC native#summer flowers#native garden#long bloom time#wind dispersed seeds#rock garden#cutting garden#pollinator plant#flowers late spring#flowers mid-summer#gray-green leaves#flowers early summer#NC Native Pollinator Plant#flowers late summer#dry soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#flowers early fall#stormwater demo garden orange co#wet soils intolerant#wildflower#wildlife friendly#poor soil tolerant
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Gaillardia
    Species:
    aestivalis
    Family:
    Asteraceae
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southern and central U.S.A
    Distribution:
    AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, KS, LA, MO, MS, NC, OK, SC, TX
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Native Plant
    Perennial
    Wildflower
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Erect
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Loam (Silt)
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Achene
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Achenes 1/16" with tufts of white hairs, wind-dispersed
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gold/Yellow
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Head
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Good Cut
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Radial
    Flower Petals:
    7 - 20 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    Yellow on the top orange brown underneath pinwheel ray flowers with 3 deeply cut lobed petals around a red-brown central cone of disk florets.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Rough
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Lanceolate
    Linear
    Spatulate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Rosett of basal leaves. Lance, to elliptical, linear or spatulate shaped 2-4 inch long gray-green leaves with hairs on both sides. Margins entire or have a few teeth, larger leaves are lower on the stem.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Purple/Lavender
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Erect
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Landscape Theme:
    Cottage Garden
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Poor Soil