gaillardia, any plant of the genus Gaillardia of the Asteaceae family (aster family), including annual, biennial, and perennial herbs with showy heads of red and/or yellow ray flowers and usually purple disk flowers. In the W United States they grow wild in large quantities (hence the name blanketflower); they are also popular garden flowers. Gaillardias are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Asterales, family Asteraceae.

Gaillardia (Blanket flower) is a genus of drought-tolerant annual and perennial plants from the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to North America. It was named after M. Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who was a patron of botany. The common name refers to the inflorescence's resemblance to brightly patterned blankets made by native Americans.

These plants form wiry, branched stems with lanceolate to linear basal leaves. The plant grows to 1 1/2 to 2 ft (45 - 60 cm) tall, with bright daisy-like single color and bi-color blooms in shades from buff to red to brown. The flowers bloom in the summer. There are more than two dozen known species of Gaillardia.

They will grow under very harsh and dry conditions, forming mounds, 8 - 18 inches (20 - 45 cm) high, and will even bloom in sand along a seashore.

Gaillardia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia bina (which has been recorded on G. pulchella), Schinia masoni (which feeds exclusively on G. aristata) and Schinia volupia (which feeds exclusively on G. pulchella).

Species

• Gaillardia aestivalis : Lanceleaf Blanketflower
• Gaillardia aestivalis var. aestivalis : Lanceleaf Blanketflower
• Gaillardia aestivalis var. flavovirens : Lanceleaf Blanketflower
• Gaillardia aestivalis var. winkleri : Winkler's Blanketflower
• Gaillardia amblyodon : Maroon Blanketflower
• Gaillardia aristata : Common gaillardia
• Gaillardia arizonica : Arizona Blanketflower
• Gaillardia arizonica var. arizonica : Arizona Blanketflower
• Gaillardia arizonica var. pringlei : Pringle's Blanketflower

• Gaillardia coahuilensis : Bandanna Daisy
• Gaillardia flava : Yellow Blanketflower
• Gaillardia x grandiflora [G. aristata × G. pulchella]
• Gaillardia multiceps : Onion Blanketflower
• Gaillardia multiceps var. microcephala : Onion Blanketflower
• Gaillardia multiceps var. multiceps : Onion Blanketflower
• Gaillardia parryi : Parry's Blanketflower
• Gaillardia pinnatifida : Red Dome Blanketflower
• Gaillardia pinnatifida var. linearis : : Red Dome Blanketflower
• Gaillardia pinnatifida var. pinnatifida : Red Dome Blanketflower
• Gaillardia pulchella : Firewheel
• Gaillardia pulchella var. australis : Firewheel
• Gaillardia pulchella var. picta : : Firewheel
• Gaillardia pulchella var. pulchella : Firewheel
• Gaillardia spathulata : : Western Blanketflower
• Gaillardia suavis : : Perfumeballs

Gallery

References

• Susan Fry Biddulph (1944). "A revision of the genus Gaillardia". Res. Stud. State Coll. Wash. 13 195–256.