Common Gaillardia (Blanketflower) vs Nuttalls Sunflower - TreeTime.ca

Common Gaillardia (Blanketflower) vs Nuttalls Sunflower

Gaillardia aristata

Helianthus nuttallii

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Common Gaillardia (Blanketflower)
Nuttalls Sunflower

Common Gaillardia, also known as Blanketflower, 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.

Nuttall’s Sunflower is a native perennial wildflower known for its bright, golden-yellow blooms. Flowering from mid to late summer, it offers a late-season nectar source for various bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while the seeds provide a fall food source for birds. The upright growth habit adds structural height and visual variety to your landscape.

Nuttall’s Sunflower can be found growing in moist to wet meadows, prairies, and open spaces. It can spread quickly via underground rhizomes, making it ideal for large-scale plantings. It is well-suited for naturalization, soil stabilization, riparian zones, and wetland restoration projects. If planting in smaller urban yards or gardens, extra care and maintenance will be required to limit its spread.

Common Gaillardia (Blanketflower) Quick Facts

Nuttalls Sunflower Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2b
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: very fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, colony forming
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: none


Flowers: orange-red with yellow tips; daisy-like
Flowers: golden yellow, daisy-like
Bloom time: early summer to fall
Bloom time: late summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Other Names: blanketflower, brown-eyed susan, great blanket flower, great blanketflower, great-flowered gaillardia
Other Names: common tall sunflower