Gaillardia pulchella (Firewheel, Indian blanket, Blanketflower, or Sundance), is a short-lived annual flowering plant native to the central United States.

The branching stem of this plant is hairy and upright, growing to 60 cm (23.6") tall. The leaves are alternate, mostly basal, 4-8 cm long, with edges smooth to coarsely toothed or lobed. The pinwheel, daisy-like inflorescences are 4-6 cm diameter, vividly colored with red, orange and yellow. The central disc florets of the flowerhead tend to be more red-violet, with the outer ray florets being yellow. In one variety, almost the entire flower is red, with only the barest tips of the pedals touched with yellow. It blooms practically year-round in some areas, but more typically in summer to early fall. The seed is an achene.

It is a hardy plant, not picky about soil, though sandy and well-drained are best. It has a high drought tolerance and does best with a dry, hot climate in full sun. It's vibrant colored flowers can be seen carpeting fields and the sides of highways for miles in the summer to late fall.

It is the state wildflower of Oklahoma.

References

• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Gaillardia pulchella
• USDA Plant Profile: Gaillardia pulchella
• Image Archive of Central Texas Plants
• Ajilvsgi, Geyata. Wildflowers of Texas. Shearer Publishing, revised edition 2003. ISBN 0940672731

Asteraceae