Plant Spotlight: Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

Blanket Flower glory

I bought Blanket Flower seeds in 2022 because they fit a color scheme, they’d fill space nicely (hence blanket), and they’d flower in their very first year.  Reading between the lines, they were meant to be practical and useful, not outstanding.

Life intervened and  shortly after buying the seeds, a child was born and we moved across the country. The Blanket Flowers would have to wait.  I finally sowed them in 2024 as part of a “Sunset Garden” theme for my potted patio, a palette of reds, oranges, and burnished golds. The variety, Arizona Sun, seemed perfect. The seeds were two years old by then, but meh, worth a try.

Surprisingly, they joyfully germinated and ended up becoming the backbone of the whole design because none of the other plants understood the assignment. That is to say, I did not choose the right plants. And so, my first impression of Blanket Flower was gratitude, and a budding appreciation not unlike the first watch of a cult classic film.

She’s ready for her close up

Fast forward to 2025 when the patio theme was “Purple Rain.” Predictably, I aimed for a color story inspired by Prince’s iconic album cover, mostly purples with wisps of yellow. It was successful for about two magical weeks in June before too much yellow took over.

I don’t know why I always underestimate the fortitude of plants, but at the end of the 2024 Sunset season, I didn’t bother removing the Blanket Flower from its pot. I already knew the Purple Rain theme was coming, and perhaps I thought leaving it in place would… take care of itself. Which is to say, it would die quietly over winter and I wouldn’t be technically responsible for its demise.

But surprise, again! Come early spring 2025, it was very much alive and pushing up new growth. But I couldn’t move it, the pot was full of purple flower seedlings and I didn’t want to disturb their roots. By midsummer, when it became clear the Purple Rain palette had failed, I said fuck it, and leaned into Blanket Flower’s persistence.

And that’s when I finally witnessed its magnificence.

These photos don’t do it justice. There’s a depth and richness in those petals that only the naked eye can absorb, an electric geometry of red and gold. I imagine the petals evolved for pollinators, but it’s funny how humans fall under the same spell. My appreciation deepened even further when I later saw Blanket Flower dotting a wildflower meadow..

Blanket Flower peeping out from snow

Turns out, there are about 30 varieties of Blanket Flower (Gaillardia), all native to various parts of North America. Some are annuals, biennials, or perennials; the perennials tend to be short-lived, but they self-sow generously and are easy to collect seed from. They love sun and well-draining, moist soil, which explains why they thrived so happily in a pot. True to their name, they can blanket a space well with clusters of orange, lacy discs hovering over the ground. But seeing them sprinkled through a meadow? Somehow even better.

These beauties support a wide array of local wildlife. And because many varieties are native, they’re naturally equipped to handle the regionally tough conditions (drought, snow, wind, etc.). If you find a Blanket Flower native to your area, I’d wager it will thrive. Bonus points because it’ll keep flowering through a soft freeze and light snow.

So “Blanket Flower”? More like “Thank-it Flower.”

…Okay, that was terrible. But they deserve the sentiment.