''Gaillardia aristata'' is a North American species of flowering plant in the

sunflower family Asteraceae () is a large family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchidaceae, and which is the larger fam ...

. It is known by the common names common blanketflower and common gaillardia. This perennial wildflower is widespread across much of North America, from

Yukon Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s we ...

east to

Québec Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...

and south as far as

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, and

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

, although it may be naturalized rather than native in parts of that range.Calflora taxon report, University of California, ''Gaillardia aristata'' Pursh, Blanketflower, common Indian blanket, common gaillardia
/ref> It is also naturalized in scattered locations in Europe, Australia, and South America.

Description

Kokardenblume Gaillardia aristata stack28 20190721-RM-7210879

''Gaillardia aristata'' grows in many habitats such as plains, prairies, and meadows. It is a

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

herb reaching maximum heights of anywhere between . It has lance-shaped leaves near the base and several erect, naked stems holding the flowers. Each

flower head A pseudanthium (; : pseudanthia) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, composite flowers ...

has a center of about 12 brownish or reddish purple disc florets and a fringe of ray florets which are about long with yellow to reddish with dark bases. Flowers bloom July to September. The fruit is a stout, hairy

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple fruit, simple dry fruits, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and Dehi ...

which may be over long including the long, spiky pappus.

Uses

Some

Plateau Indian Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Plateau, also referred to by the phrase Indigenous peoples of the Plateau, and historically called the Plateau Indians (though comprising many groups) are Indigenous peoples of the Interior of British Columbi ...

tribes used blanketflower to treat wounds and settle

fever Fever or pyrexia in humans is a symptom of an anti-infection defense mechanism that appears with Human body temperature, body temperature exceeding the normal range caused by an increase in the body's temperature Human body temperature#Fever, s ...

s. ''Gaillardia aristata'' is a widely cultivated

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

, used as a perennial garden flower.

References

External links

*
Calphotos Photo gallery, University of California

United States Department of Agriculture, National Forest Service, Plant of the Week, Blanketflower ''(Gaillardia aristata)''

Minnesota Wildflowers, ''Gaillardia aristata'' (Blanketflower)
aristata Flora of Canada Flora of the United States Flora of California Flora of the Great Plains (North America) Flora of Ontario Plants described in 1813 Taxa named by Frederick Traugott Pursh Garden plants of North America Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Helenieae-stub