Indian Blanket 500 Seeds Gaillardia pulchella

Gaillardia pulchella, commonly known as Indian blanket, firewheel, or blanket flower, is a dazzling annual or short-lived perennial wildflower in the Asteraceae family, native to the sandy coastal plains and prairies of the southern United States and Mexico. Renowned for its brilliant, warm-toned blooms and remarkable tolerance to heat, drought, and poor soils, this species paints landscapes with its vivid, fiery colors throughout the growing season. Typically reaching heights of 30 to 60 centimeters, Gaillardia pulchella forms a spreading, loosely branched mound with slender, slightly hairy stems and narrow, gray-green leaves that are often lobed or toothed. From late spring through fall, it produces abundant daisy-like flowers, each with a central reddish-brown disk surrounded by ray florets that blend deep crimson, orange, and bright yellow, resembling a spinning firewheel. These eye-catching blooms are highly attractive to pollinators, especially bees, butterflies, and native insects, while the seed heads that follow provide food for small birds. Thriving in full sun and well-drained, sandy or rocky soils, Gaillardia pulchella is exceptionally low-maintenance, tolerating drought, wind, and salt spray—making it particularly well suited to coastal and arid environments. It is often used in wildflower meadows, roadside plantings, and pollinator gardens, where it naturalizes easily and provides long-lasting color. Symbolizing warmth, endurance, and natural beauty, Gaillardia pulchella stands as a radiant emblem of the resilient wildflowers of the American South, flourishing even under the most challenging growing conditions.