# Gaillardia (*Gaillardia pulchella*) Gaillardia, or blanket flower, has bright red and yellow petals that look like flames! They are very cheerful and attract butterflies. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 74 - **Habitat:** Open fields and gardens - **Also known as:** Blanket Flower, Indian Blanket ![Gaillardia](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426083/objects/4974.jpg) ## Appearance The Gaillardia has vibrant, daisy-like flowers with petals often ringed in fiery reds, oranges, and yellows, sometimes tipped with contrasting colors. Its striking appearance makes it easily recognizable in any garden or field. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Gaillardia ## Interesting facts - Despite its delicate look, Gaillardia is super tough, even shrugging off nibbling deer! - Gaillardia seeds are so tough, they can sprout in bare, sandy soil where other plants struggle. - Its common name, Blanket Flower, comes from its resemblance to colorful Native American blankets! - You can find Gaillardia growing wild all the way from Canada down to central Mexico! ## Special abilities - **Sun Lover's Shield:** Gaillardia can thrive in intense sunshine and dry conditions, thanks to its tough leaves and roots that conserve water. - **Pollinator Party Host:** Gaillardia has bright, nectar-rich flowers that attract many bees and butterflies, helping them gather food while spreading pollen. - **Bloom Buster:** Gaillardia can produce new flowers continuously from late spring into fall, ensuring a long season of colorful displays and seeds. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-60 cm - **Spread:** 30-45 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Visits flowers for nectar - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Collects pollen and nectar ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Everblooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/everblooming): Everblooming plants produce flowers continuously or in repeated flushes over a long period. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Explore with care and ask an adult if you’re unsure what to do. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Gaillardia? Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Gaillardia? 30-60 cm ### How wide does Gaillardia spread? 30-45 cm ### How big are the flowers on Gaillardia? 5-10 cm ### When does Gaillardia bloom? Late spring to fall ### Is Gaillardia edible? No ### Is Gaillardia toxic? None ### What is Gaillardia's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Black Hawk State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-hawk-state-historic-site) — Illinois, US · Park - [Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-coast-guard-station) — US · Historic Site - [Darlington Agency](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/darlington-agency) — Oklahoma, US · Historic District - [Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lyndon-b-johnson-national-grassland) — Texas, US · National Park - [Market Square](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/market-square) — Tennessee, US · Historic District - [Quartz Mountain Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quartz-mountain-nature-park) — Oklahoma, US · Park [View all places to see Gaillardia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/gaillardia) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Gaillardia: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gaillardia)