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Gaillardia aestivalis var. aestivalis
Gaillardia aestivalis (Walter) H. Rock var. aestivalis
Lanceleaf Blanketflower, Prairie Gaillardia
Asteraceae (Aster Family)
Synonym(s): Gaillardia chrysantha, Gaillardia fastigiata, Gaillardia lanceolata, Gaillardia lanceolata var. fastigiata, Gaillardia rigida, Gaillardia serotina
USDA Symbol: GAAEA
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Prairie gaillardia is a showy, prolific bloomer. Rigid stems, branching toward the top, are lined with narrow, lance-shaped leaves. Terminating flower stalks at the top of the plant are unique flowers. Yellow rays are lobed at the margins and occasionally reddish at their bases. These surround a brown or dark-purple center. The slender plants grow to 2 ft. tall.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: YellowBloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , KS , LA , NC , OK , SC , TXNative Distribution: C. KS to e. TX
Native Habitat: Sandy, open woods & prairies
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Part ShadeSoil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Well-drained, sandy soils.
Conditions Comments: This species is probably not really separate from G. aestivalis, except as an inland race. The native range of G. aestivalis includes the coastal states. Prairie gaillardia is an annual under cultivation. It responds well to dead heading and pinching back, producing blooms until frost. Because individual plants tend to be tall and slender, they are best used in a mass planting. The species adapts to amended clay-loam.
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Additional resources
USDA: Find Gaillardia aestivalis var. aestivalis in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Gaillardia aestivalis var. aestivalis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Gaillardia aestivalis var. aestivalis
Metadata
Record Modified: 2013-10-24Research By: TWC Staff