Gaillardia

These are hardy annual and perennial North American plants. They form mounds, 8 to 18 inches high. The basal leaves are linear to lanceolate, 3 to 4 inches long. The single or double flowers resemble Daisies and grow singly on wiry stems. They are 2 to 3 inches across. G. 'Dazzler' has beautiful, large flowers with bright orange-red central disks and petals; the petals are tipped with golden yellow. G. aristata also has large, Daisy-like flowers, but they have bright yellow petals with orange-red centers. Plucking off the dead blooms will increase the production of flowers.

Pot Cultivation

These plants need well-drained soil, which is moist to on the dry side. They should have sun half the day or more. Annual Gaillardias are great for growing in a greenhouse in late winter and spring. Pots that are 5 to 6 inches in diameter are large enough for the final potting. They should have full exposure to sun and a night temperature of 45 to 50 degrees with a 5- to 10-degree rise in the day.

Propagation

Seeds may be started indoors, in pots filled with two-thirds loam and one-third leaf mold and sand, at a 70-degree temperature, 6 to 8 weeks before it's safe to plant outdoors. The seeds may also be planted outside where they are to grow when the soil has warmed up. When plants are desired for growing in the greenhouse, seeds are sown in pots or pans of porous soil. When they're large enough to handle safely, they are transplanted to 2�-inch pots, and later, into larger pots.

G. aristata

VARIETIES

• Perennial kinds -
  G. aristata;
  G. grandiflora;
  Firebrand;
  Ipswich Beauty;
  Wirral Flame;
  Yellow Queen.
• Annual kinds -
  G. amblyodon;
  G. lanceolata;
  G. pulchella.