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Gaillardia grandiflora 'Arizona Sun'
Arizona Sun Gaillardia
Great Plains and southern North America (parent species)
Key Features
Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesDeer ResistantDrought TolerantContainer Friendly
Native to North America
Maintenancelow
Overview
Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Arizona Sun' is a compact, mounding perennial reaching 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) tall with a width of 12-15 inches (30-38 cm), shorter than typical species and hybrid blanketflowers. Stems are erect to slightly sprawling, gray-green and softly hairy, carrying lance-shaped basal leaves 3-5 inches (8-13 cm) long with shallow lobes near the base and entire margins toward the tip. Daisy-like flowerheads measure 3-3.5 inches (7.5-9 cm) across, with 12-14 ray florets that are deep mahogany-red at the base transitioning to bright yellow at the tips, surrounding a domed red-brown disc 0.4-0.6 inch (1-1.5 cm) wide. Bloom begins 12-14 weeks after spring planting and continues from June until the first hard frost in zones 5-8, often 16-20 weeks total. Flowers self-clean as petals drop. Lifespan is short for a perennial: 2-3 years on average across most sites, occasionally to 4 years on lean, fast-draining soils. Plants set viable seed and self-sow modestly; volunteer offspring vary in flower color from the parent.
Native Range
Gaillardia x grandiflora is a garden hybrid between G. aristata, native to the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains from Saskatchewan south to Colorado, and G. pulchella, native to the southern Great Plains and northern Mexico. Both parents grow in dry prairies, sandy meadows, and disturbed roadsides at elevations from sea level to 8,500 feet (0-2,600 m). 'Arizona Sun' is a 21st-century horticultural selection introduced from Germany in the early 2000s.Suggested Uses
Planted in dry borders, rock gardens, meadow plantings, and pollinator strips, spaced 12-15 inches (30-38 cm) apart. The compact size allows front-of-border placement and use along edges of mixed perennial beds. Grows in containers of 3 gallons (11 L) or larger; bloom continues but lifespan often drops to a single growing season in container culture.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 1'
Width/Spread1' - 1'3"
Reaches mature size in approximately 1 years
Colors
Bloom Information
June through first hard frost in zones 4-8, typically October-November in zones 7-8 and September in zones 4-5. In zones 9-10, bloom may begin in May and continue intermittently to December. Individual flowerheads remain colorful 7-10 days. Total bloom extends 16-20 weeks. Heat above 95°F (35°C) reduces flower size by 20-30 percent without stopping flowering.Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Mahogany-red base graduating to yellow tips with red-brown discFoliage Description
Gray-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Plant in spring after the soil reaches 55°F (13°C) at 12-15 inch (30-38 cm) spacing. Water weekly through the first season; established plants tolerate 3-4 weeks without rain. Soggy soils, especially in winter, cause crown rot and shorten lifespan further. Aster yellows phytoplasma may infect plants, producing greenish, distorted flowers; affected plants are pulled and discarded as the disease cannot be cured. Powdery mildew develops in still, humid air. Plants are not divided due to a deep taproot; replacement every 2-3 years from new plugs or seedlings sustains garden vigor.Pruning
Deadheading is optional; flowers self-clean as petals drop, but cutting spent flowerheads to the next leaf node tightens the plant outline and may extend bloom by 2-3 weeks in late summer. Cut back to 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) in early spring to remove winter-killed stems. Shearing the entire plant by one third in early August can rejuvenate flowering for a fall flush in zones 5-8.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
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O
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D
early springsummer
Maintenance Level
lowContainer Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons