Blanket flower
Gaillardia aristata
Red and gold daisies that thrive on neglect and heat.
Hardiness: zones 3 to 10
Light: full sun
Size: about 2 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide
From: W. North America
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: pollinators.
Native to: Great Plains & Texas, Rockies & Great Basin, Desert Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Western Canada. Hardy in zones 3 to 10.
The story
Blanket flower may be named for the bright woven blankets of the Southwest, or for the way it once blanketed the plains. Either way it looks like a small sunset.
Planting
Full sun and poor, dry, well-drained soil. It is easy from seed.
Growing
Deadhead to keep it blooming. Cut back hard in late summer to help it live through winter.
Harvest and use
Flowers from June to frost for bees and butterflies, and seed for goldfinches.
What to watch for
Short-lived in rich or wet soil. Let it reseed to keep the patch going.
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home