All flowers
Indian Blanket Wikimedia Commons
Asteraceae

Indian Blanket

Gaillardia pulchella

Boldness and warmth.

Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Gaillardia
Native to
Central United States, Mexico
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
annual herb
Height
1-2 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
well-drained, sandy, poor to average
Water
low
Hardiness
2-11
Lifespan
annual

Did you know

  • The common name refers to the flower's resemblance to the colorful patterned blankets woven by Native American peoples.
  • It is the state wildflower of Oklahoma, where it blooms abundantly along roadsides and in prairies each summer.
  • The genus was named in honor of M. Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who was a patron of botany.
  • Indian Blanket thrives in poor, sandy soil and actually blooms less in rich, fertilized soil, preferring neglect to pampering.
  • The flowers have a distinctive ball-shaped center disc that turns into a spiky seed head resembling a miniature pin cushion.

Color meanings

0

courage

1

diversity

Uses

  • wildflower meadows
  • roadside planting
  • drought-tolerant gardens