Gaillardia aristata 'Arizona Red Shades'
  Common Name: Blanket Flower
   Add To Wishlist
  
Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

We’ve been proud to be able to offer you the award winning Gaillardia a. ‘Arizona Sun’ over the past few years, and now we’re even more excited to be able to offer you its sister color in ‘Arizona Red Shades’. 

It produces masses of large, crimson red blossoms from early summer all the way into early fall, even under hot and dry conditions.  Since it is produced from seed, about 20% of the flowers will have slight yellow tips. 

What sets this new variety apart from the older ‘Burgundy’ is its much shorter, compact size and uniform habit that is perfect for pot production.  Its well-branched stems ensure your finished plants will fill out the container nicely and have a long shelf life at retail.  Plants will flower the first year from seed.

These perennials require little care once established. They are heat tolerant and actually prefer to be grown in poorer soils. They get their name from the manner in which they used to blanket North American prairies with their blooms. They can still be found in fields and along roadsides in the prairie region and into the Rockies.

Intro Year: 2010

Introducer: Benary

Parentage: Sister color to 'Arizona Sun'

Origin: Native Cultivar

Characteristics:



Height:
  10-12 Inches
Spread:
  12 Inches
Flower Color:
  Red shades
Foliage Color:
  Green shades
Hardiness Zone:
3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
Find Your Zone
Sun or Shade?:
  Full sun (> 6 hrs. direct sun)
Wet or dry?:
  Low water needs
  Average water needs
Want to see wings?:
  Attracts butterflies
Need critter resistant plants?:
  Deer resistant
How fast should it grow?:
  Medium
When should it bloom?:
  Early summer
  Midsummer
  Late summer
  Early fall
How's your soil?:
  Poor Soil
  Average Soil
Sweet or Sour Soil?:
  Acidic Soil (pH < 7.0)
  Neutral Soil (pH = 7.0)
What's your garden style?:
  Container/Patio
  Prairie
  Cottage
  Eclectic

  Click here to view the Grower Cultural Sheet

Size(s) Offered:

  Plugs: 30ct
  Plugs: 72ct

Attributes:

Border plants
Container
Cut flower or foliage
Dried flower or seed heads
Drought Tolerant
Mass Planting
Salt Tolerant
Easy to grow

Homeowner Growing & Maintenance Tips:

Gaillardia requires full sun and well-drained soil in order to prosper. Given too much shade, the plants tend to flop over. Though they will perform best in moist soils, they are highly drought tolerant. Do not enrich the soil with compost or other rich ingrediants when planting this perennial. It does best in poor, loose soils and does not tolerate heavy clay.

Plants may be divided every 2-3 years in either spring or fall and are also easily grown from seed. Deadheading spent blooms will prolong the bloom time.


Companions:

Common/Botanical Name
Zones  
Salvia nemorosa 'May Night' ('Mainacht')
Common Name: Salvia-Perennial
3,4,5,6,7,8
Add To Wishlist
Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro'
Common Name: Daylily
3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Add To Wishlist
Achillea millefolium 'Strawberry Seduction' PP18401
Common Name: Yarrow
3,4,5,6,7,8
Add To Wishlist
Liatris spicata 'Kobold Original'
Common Name: Gayfeather
3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Add To Wishlist
Panicum virgatum 'Cheyenne Sky' PPAF
Common Name: Grass-Ornamental
4,5,6,7,8,9
Add To Wishlist

While every effort has been made to describe this plant accurately, please keep in mind that the height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates throughout the country. The description of this plant was written based on our experience growing it in Michigan (USDA hardiness zone 5) and on numerous outside resources.