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Gaillardia pulchella

firewheel

Asteraceae central and southern North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

Overview

Gaillardia pulchella is an annual or short-lived perennial in the daisy family, native to the central and southern United States and northern Mexico, growing 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) tall in a loose mound of hairy, gray-green stems and leaves. From late spring through autumn it bears daisy-like flower heads 1.5-2.5 inches (4-6 cm) across, with ray florets banded red at the base and yellow at the tips around a domed red-brown center. The lance-shaped leaves are 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) long, lobed or toothed, and softly hairy. The plant is drought- and heat-tolerant, growing in sandy and poor soils where many garden flowers fail, and is common on roadsides, dunes, and prairies. It flowers heavily over a long season and self-sows readily, returning year after year even though individual plants are short-lived. The flower heads draw bees and butterflies, and the dry seed heads feed small birds. It does not tolerate wet, heavy soils, which bring on root rot.

Native Range

Gaillardia pulchella is native to the central and southern United States and northern Mexico, from Colorado and Nebraska south through Texas to the Gulf Coast. It grows on sandy prairies, coastal dunes, roadsides, and other open, well-drained sites.

Suggested Uses

Gaillardia pulchella is grown in wildflower meadows, prairie plantings, hot dry borders, and coastal gardens, and in containers in full sun. Its drought tolerance suits low-water and roadside plantings. The flowers draw pollinators and the seeds feed finches and other small birds.

How to Identify

Look for daisy-like heads with ray florets that are red near the center and yellow at the tips, around a raised red-brown disk. The leaves are gray-green, softly hairy, and lobed or coarsely toothed. Stems and foliage have a slightly downy feel.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'

Width/Spread1' - 1'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

red

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~20 weeks

Spring Summer Fall

Flowering begins in late spring and continues through autumn until frost, a span of several months in warm regions. The red-and-yellow heads open in steady succession on branching stems. Shearing midseason keeps new flowers coming.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

gray-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

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

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Gaillardia pulchella in full sun in light, well-drained soil; sandy or gravelly ground suits it, and it withstands heat, drought, and salt spray once established. Rich or wet soils shorten its life and reduce flowering, and standing moisture brings on root rot. Plants need little feeding, and overwatering does more harm than drought. They self-sow freely, so colonies persist from year to year even as older plants fade. Clearing spent heads extends bloom but reduces self-seeding. Aphids and powdery mildew appear occasionally but seldom cause lasting harm.

Pruning

No structural pruning is needed. Shearing the plants back by about one third in midsummer renews flowering when bloom slows. Spent flower heads are removed to extend the season or left in place to feed birds and self-sow.