Practical
Plants

Gaillardia pinnatifida

Blanket Flower

a perennial member of the Gaillardia genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.4 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The dried seeds can be ground into a powder then kneaded into seed butter and spread on bread[5].

Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is used as a diuretic, taken to give relief from painful urination[2][5]. An infusion of the leaves is taken internally, and a poultice applied externally, in the treatment of gout[5].

Product or use
Antirheumatic
Product or use
Diuretic

Environment

Range
Southern N. America.
Habitat
Open grasslands[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division, with care[1]. Root cuttings in the winter[1].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a position in full sun, succeeding in any moderately fertile well-drained soil[1]. Performs well in poor soils and copes well with hot dry conditions[1]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[1]. Some winter protection, especially in areas experiencing heavy snows, is recommended. Covering the plants with brush wood should be enough[1]. Plants are so prolific and long blooming that they often exhaust themselves and are then short-lived[1]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[4].

References

  1. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  2. Whiting. A. F. Ethnobotany of the Hopi North Arizona Society of Science and Art 1939-00-00

    ↩

  3. McGregor. R. L. & Barkley. T. M. Flora of the Great Plains. University Press of Kansas. 1986-00-00 ISBN 070060295x

    ↩

  4. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  5. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

Edit this page