Red Plume Blanket Flower is a vibrant annual that brings bold color and effortless charm to sunny gardens from early summer through fall. This cultivar of Gaillardia pulchella reaches 18-24 inches tall and produces continuous blooms for 98-112 days from seed to flower, making it a reliable performer from June through November. With minimal water needs and a natural magnetism for pollinators, it thrives in hot, dry spots where many plants struggle, delivering weeks of garden-filling color with surprisingly little fuss.
8
Full Sun
Low
6-10
24in H x 12in W
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Moderate
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The red plume blooms burst continuously across compact plants that ask almost nothing in return, handling drought like a seasoned survivor while butterflies and bees treat the flowers like a nectar bar. Direct sow after the last frost and you'll have blooms by midsummer; these flowers genuinely reward neglect, flourishing in poor, well-drained soil where water-hungry plants would sulk. Spacing them just 8 inches apart creates a dense, floriferous planting that reaches full size in under four months.
Red Plume Blanket Flower shines as a cut flower that lasts well in the vase, and its compact size and prolific blooming habit make it superb for borders, containers, and pollinator gardens. The bright plume-like flowers work beautifully in mixed flower beds and cottage garden settings where continuous summer color is desired.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. Sow seeds on the surface or press them in just 1/16 inch deep, as they need light to germinate. Keep soil at 60-70°F and expect sprouting in 4-20 days. Transplant seedlings outdoors after all frost danger has passed.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days before planting out. Transplant after your last spring frost date into full sun locations with well-drained soil spaced 8 inches apart.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after your last frost date. Scatter seeds on the soil surface or press them in just 1/16 inch deep. Water gently to keep the soil moist until germination occurs in 4-20 days.
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