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E-Plant for April
At a glanceLatin Name: Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Oranges & Lemons’Common Name: Blanket FlowerFamily: Asteraceae Origin: North America Plant Type: Perennial Flowers: 4” – 6” wide flowers that are peachy orange with yellow tips Foliage: Blue green foliage that is slightly pubescent Mature height: 18” – 24” Hardiness: Zone 5 Soil: well drained Exposure: full sun Water usage: medium Sources: mail order/ retail
When I see plants with bright saturated colors it makes me hungry! I see deep blues and purples and I think of blueberry pie. I see bright vibrant reds and pinks and I think of juicy watermelon! So it is always fitting to me when I see a plant named after food! Gaillardia Oranges & Lemons is just one of those plants! This grandiflora species of Gaillardia has been an absolutely amazing performer! Not only does it bloom all summer and into the fall but this last winter it actually maintained good foliar color and then proceeded to bloom first thing in March!! The unique color variation of the flower is what gives it its name. The flower petals are a peachy orange with the tips dipped in yellow with a golden yellow center. Gaillardia Oranges & Lemons grows 18”-24” tall and is an extremely florific perennial, blooming from early summer to fall, and sometimes even longer! It can withstand our poor soils and handles heat and humidity marvelously. Not to mention it is drought tolerant as well. The growth habit is very tall and upright, more so than other varieties of Gaillardia. The species “grandiflora” is presumably a hybrid of G. aristata and G. pulchella but this beauty was bred in England in 2002 by Rosemary Hardy and was voted by Garden Design as one of its “Way Hot 100” exciting plants for 2006. With this plants unique color variation and height it can do wonders for a full sun perennial garden or backdrop of an annual border. The foliage is a blue green, giving a good color compliment with the orange and yellow flowers. Some ideas for perennial plant combinations would be to inter-mix this Gaillardia with Salvia ‘Mystic Spires Blue’ or Prunella ‘Purple Loveliness’. For a hotter summer color scheme you could use Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ or Echinacea ‘Twilight’. Some annuals that would make combinations would be Ageratum ‘Artist Blue’ or Angelonia ‘Serena Purple’. A good time to plant Gaillardia in North Texas would be either in the late part of spring, usually April or May, or the fall in October or November. There are not any specific planting requirements for this perennial other than planting it and watering it in then waiting for its bright flowers to appear. This plant is drought tolerant and does not need to be over watered or planted in boggy areas, nor does it need a ton of fertilizer. An average feeding regime will suffice (14-14-14 once in spring and then again 3 months later). It loves full sun and heat so make sure the spot you pick is conducive to these conditions. Gaillardia Oranges & Lemons should be available at local nurseries, if not just get on google.com and search. About the author: Denise Robb is the Research and Greenhouse Manager at the Dallas Arboretum, visit www.dallasplanttrials.org for more information on the trial program. |
webmaster: jturner@dallasarboretum 214-515-6580
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