Indian Blanket

Indian Blanket, Gaillardia pulchella

Indian Blanket, also known as Firewheel, is a native annual found in the throughout most of the United States, especially the southwest, with introduction to parts of Canada and Alaska. It is drought and heat tolerant and adaptable to well-drained soil, sun, and part shade. While it blooms between May and August, it is short-lived, but it may flower longer with plentiful rains.

Field of Indian Blanket and highly invasive Queen Anne's lace

Indian Blanket is sought for sand dune reclamation sites and for roadside and meadow planting. It is also a competent native competitor to the invasive annual bastard cabbage. Not only has over-sowing Indian Blanket been shown to reduce productivity of the invasive species, but it is also a way to help eliminate environmental damage from standard control techniques.