Common Gaillardia vs Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat - TreeTime.ca

Common Gaillardia vs Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat

Gaillardia aristata

Eriogonum umbellatum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Common Gaillardia
Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat

Common Gaillardia is a native perennial wildflower known for its vibrant, daisy-like blooms. Flower petals vary in color from two-tone blooms with an orange-red center and yellow tips to solid yellow. Blooming from early summer to fall, it provides continuous color while attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The seeds also serve as a food source for birds, adding to its ecological value.

Common Gaillardia is easy to grow and can tolerate heat and drought. If flowering slows in the summer heat, cutting back the plant can encourage a new round of blooms in the fall. It is ideal for pollinator gardens, xeriscaping, naturalization projects, and ornamental plantings.

As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat is a native perennial wildflower known for its dense clusters of cream to yellow flowers. The long-lasting blooms persist from late spring into summer, providing an extended nectar source for a variety of pollinators. The flower buds are often red-tinted before opening. As the blooms age, they shift to orange or red, adding seasonal interest and making them well-suited to dried flower arrangements. Its seeds are also eaten by birds, adding to its ecological value.

Depending on climate and conditions, Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat may be evergreen to semi-evergreen, or its foliage may turn red during fall. Its deep roots and spreading growth stabilize rocky or sandy soils, making it useful for erosion control. Exceptionally hardy once established, it requires little care and thrives in challenging environments, making it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens, naturalization, and ecological restoration projects.

Common Gaillardia Quick Facts

Sulphur-Flower Buckwheat Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: very fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright to spreading, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: none


Foliage: leathery
Fall colour: reddish bronze
Flowers: orange-red with yellow tips; daisy-like
Flowers: colour varies, typically white to yellow
Bloom time: early summer to fall
Bloom time: mid spring to mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: blanketflower, brown-eyed susan, great blanket flower, great blanketflower, great-flowered gaillardia
Other Names: sulphur buckwheat, sulphur flower, wild buckwheat