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Blanket Flower

Gaillardia pulchella

Blanket Flower

Vivid bicolor blooms in yellow and maroon blanket the garden from late spring through fall, thriving in desert heat.

A heat-loving warm-season annual in USDA zones 9-11 that can overwinter as a short-lived perennial in mild low-desert winters; reseeds reliably to return.

AMWUA Notes

A tough, low-water annual delivering months of hot-colored bloom through the worst of the desert heat.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Water every 1-2 weeks; very drought and heat tolerant, it blooms longest with occasional deep soaks and sharp drainage.

✂️Pruning

Deadhead spent blooms often to keep flowers coming through the long season; shear the whole plant back if it gets ragged in midsummer.

🌱Fertilizing

None needed; rich soil reduces flowering and shortens its life.

🛡️Pests

Trouble-free apart from occasional aphids.

☀️Seasonal Notes

A warm-season annual (short-lived perennial in mild winters); sow fall through spring for late-spring-to-fall bloom, and it reseeds generously.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Lean, sandy or gravelly, sharply drained soils; heat-tolerant; rich soil shortens its life.

💧Drainage

Needs sharp, fast-draining soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.

🌰Propagation

Seed; sow fall through spring and it reseeds generously (can overwinter as a short-lived perennial in mild winters).

📐Spacing

1.5 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Minimal; short-lived and shallow-rooted, renewed by heavy reseeding.

Placement Tips

  • •Mass in a pollinator bed or meadow for a long-running blanket of hot bicolor daisies.
  • •Deadhead in high-visibility spots to keep it tidy and continuously blooming.
  • •Let it reseed for a self-renewing drift year after year.
  • •Full sun and reflected heat; one of the most heat-proof annual color sources.

Features

Yellow and maroon bicolor bloomsBee and butterfly attractorSow fall through springLong bloom season

Best Uses

Wildflower meadowPollinator gardenBorder planting

Ecological Value

Attracts

beesbutterflies

Quick Stats

Water NeedsModerate
Sun Exposurefull sun
Mature Size1.5 ft H × 1.5 ft W
Growth Ratemoderate
Maintenancelow
HardinessUSDA 9-11
FoliageDeciduous
Drainagesharp, fast-draining
Bloom SeasonLate Spring-Fall
Bloom ColorYellow/Maroon
Litter Levellow
ThornsNone
Native RegionNorth America

Design Styles

native habitatpollinator garden

Include in Your Project

Love Blanket Flower? Our landscape team sources from wholesale nurseries and can incorporate it into your design.

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Use this care guide to maintain your Blanket Flower. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.

Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.

Blanket Flower — common questions

Answers for low-desert Phoenix conditions, drawn from this plant’s growing data.

How much water does Blanket Flower need in Phoenix?

Blanket Flower is a moderate-water annual once established. Water every 1-2 weeks; very drought and heat tolerant, it blooms longest with occasional deep soaks and sharp drainage. A tough, low-water annual delivering months of hot-colored bloom through the worst of the desert heat.

How big does Blanket Flower get?

Expect roughly 1.5 ft tall and 1.5 ft wide at maturity, with a moderate growth rate. Allow about 1.5 ft of spacing when planting. Minimal; short-lived and shallow-rooted, renewed by heavy reseeding.

Can you plant Blanket Flower near a pool?

Yes. Blanket Flower is considered pool-friendly, meaning it stays clean enough around water features and hardscape. Litter is rated low.

Can Blanket Flower handle Arizona heat and winter frost?

Blanket Flower is hardy in USDA 9-11 and wants full sun. A heat-loving warm-season annual in USDA zones 9-11 that can overwinter as a short-lived perennial in mild low-desert winters; reseeds reliably to return. A warm-season annual (short-lived perennial in mild winters); sow fall through spring for late-spring-to-fall bloom, and it reseeds generously.

Does Blanket Flower have thorns?

No. Blanket Flower is thornless, so it is safe alongside walkways, patios and play areas.

Is Blanket Flower safe around pets?

Blanket Flower is listed as pet-friendly in this guide. If your dog is a determined chewer, check any new plant with your vet before planting.

When does Blanket Flower bloom in Arizona?

Blanket Flower blooms in late spring-fall, with yellow/maroon flowers. The bloom draws bees, butterflies.

How much maintenance does Blanket Flower need?

Blanket Flower is low-maintenance. Leaf, flower and pod litter is rated low. Deadhead spent blooms often to keep flowers coming through the long season; shear the whole plant back if it gets ragged in midsummer.

What kind of soil does Blanket Flower need?

Lean, sandy or gravelly, sharply drained soils; heat-tolerant; rich soil shortens its life. It needs no supplemental feeding. None needed; rich soil reduces flowering and shortens its life.

Is Blanket Flower native to Arizona?

No. Blanket Flower is not an Arizona native; it originates from the North America, but it is grown successfully in low-desert landscapes here.