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perennial

The Sun Blanket Flower

Gaillardia x grandiflora 'The Sun'

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The Sun Blanket Flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora 'The Sun') at Lindley's Nursery

The Sun Blanket Flower flowers

The Sun Blanket Flower flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  15 inches

Spacing:  12 inches

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  2b

Other Names:  Blanketflower, Indian Blanket

Description:

Cheerful golden yellow daisy-like flowers with gold centers; prefers moist, rich sites but will adapt to dry sites; good for naturalizing

Ornamental Features

The Sun Blanket Flower has masses of beautiful yellow daisy flowers with gold eyes at the ends of the stems from early summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its tomentose narrow leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

The Sun Blanket Flower is a dense herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

The Sun Blanket Flower is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Rock/Alpine Gardens
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

The Sun Blanket Flower will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

The Sun Blanket Flower is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Rock  Edging  Garden  Naturalizing  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features

Disclaimer: Lindley's Nursery & Plant Finder is an online resource representing many of the varieties that we carry over the course of the season, and is intended for informational purposes only. Inventory varies seasonally, so we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times - please contact Lindley's Nursery & Garden Center 386-428-7298 directly for current availability.