Gaillardia, Blanketflower

“Gaillardia, also known as Blanketflower or the Firewheel, is native to the Americas. The plant is a member of the Aster family which also includes daisies and sunflowers. Gaillardia were one of the more than 200 plant varieties catalogued and described by Lewis and Clark during their famous expedition of 1804-1806. The plant is named for Gaillard de Charentonneau, a French magistrate who was a patron of botany. Joseph Breck in his 1851 book, The Flower Garden, describes the gaillardia as, “A very handsome plant, naturally a perennial, but produces its flowers the first year from seed, if started early. It does not stand the winter without protection. It has large, beautiful crimson and yellow flowers in August; one to two feet high…The fine large blossoms…produce a very showy appearance, and render the plant well deserving a place in every flower-garden.” In its wild state, the plant thrives in some of the harshest soils and climate conditions possible and yet produces some of the most vibrant and beautiful blossoms available in nature.

The Gloriosa Daisy is a type of Black Eyed Susan that produces a much larger flower on stems 6-12 inches taller than the typical Black Eyed Susans. The flowers are often 4-5 inches in diameter with yellow petals or purplish-brown petals fading to yellow near the ends. The flowers are striking in any garden. It grows in full sun or partial shade. It is drought, heat and soil tolerant.