Gaillardia 'Arizona Red Shades'
Gaillardia 'Arizona Red Shades' is a compact mounding blanket flower selection that delivers intense crimson red blooms with subtle orange undertones. The daisy like flowers are produced continuously from early summer through frost making it a vivid centerpiece in hot sunny beds. Its short stature and bushy form make it excellent for edging, massing, and containers, and its blooms are known for heat and drought tolerance even in tough conditions.
Height & Spread: 10 - 12 in x 10 - 14 in
Bloom Time: Early summer to frost
Light Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained soils; tolerates poor, sandy, or gravelly conditions
Watering Needs: Low; highly drought tolerant once established
Deer Resistance: Rarely damaged by deer due to hairy stems and bitter foliage
Native Status
This cultivar is derived from Gaillardia aristata, a species native to North America. While 'Arizona Red Shades' is a garden selection, it maintains many of the pollinator friendly traits of its native parent.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Attracts a wide range of butterflies such as Painted Ladies, Pearl Crescents, and Monarchs that feed on its abundant nectar.
Bees
- Frequented by native bees including leafcutter bees, sweat bees, and bumblebees for its long blooming floral resources.
Moths
- Evening and night flying moths such as the White Lined Sphinx visit its blooms in twilight hours during extended bloom seasons.
Birds
- Finches and other small songbirds feed on the seed heads if left standing after bloom extending wildlife interest into fall and winter.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 10 - 14 in apart to form a dense mat of flowering plants without overcrowding.
Landscape Placement
- Ideal for front of border plantings, pollinator gardens, container displays, and dry meadow style landscapes where compact, durable color is desired.
Companion Plants
- Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb' (Threadleaf Coreopsis) - Offers fine foliage and yellow blooms that contrast brightly with the red flowers of Gaillardia.
- Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' (Wood Sage) - Adds vertical purple spikes and aromatic foliage to balance Gaillardia's rounded form.
- Achillea millefolium 'Paprika' (Yarrow) - Provides flat topped flowers in red shades and feathery foliage, echoing Gaillardia’s tones with a different texture.
- Liatris spicata (Blazing Star) - Offers vertical flower spikes and supports pollinators with summer bloom overlap.
- Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) - Brings large upright daisy blooms and structural contrast to the compact habit of Gaillardia.
- Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' (Beardtongue) - Adds upright burgundy foliage and white flowers that cool and complement hot colored beds.