Gaillardia aestivalis (Walter) H. Rock var. aestivalis

Sandhill Blanket Flower; Lance Leaf Blanket Flower

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Sandhill Blanket Flower is a native herbaceous annual in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It can be found throughout the southern two-thirds of Alabama. Sandhill Blanket Flower occurs in sandhills, in scrub oak woods, in dry Longleaf pine woods, on roadsides, and in disturbed areas. It is an annual with a tap root. Stems are up to 3 feet in height and branched in the upper third. The stems are green or reddish-purple in color, round in cross section, ribbed, and pubescent. Leaves are alternate, sessile, oblanceolate in outline, with entire or few toothed margins. The leaves are pubescent on both surfaces. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are produced singly on long peduncles. The heads may consist of only 20-60 purple disc flowers or 20-60 purple disc flowers with 6-12 yellow to orange ray flowers. The rays are 3 lobed at the apex and sterile. The fruit is an achene with a crown of 6-10 lanceolate scales. Sandhill Blanket Flower is easily grown from seed. Plants lacking ray flowers are not showy. Flowers are attractive to butterflies and Goldfinches feed on the fruit. It prefers a well-draining, sandy soil in full sun. Sandhill Blanket Flower is very drought tolerant and flowers from late spring until frost.--A. Diamond

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Native

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