Arizona Red Shades Blanket Flower

Arizona Red Shades Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata 'Arizona Red Shades')

Arizona Red Shades Blanket Flower delivers bold, heat-ready color with a compact habit that keeps borders looking clean and intentional. The red, daisy-like blooms keep coming through summer into fall, so you get steady impact without constant maintenance. It thrives in full sun and handles drier conditions once established, making it a reliable choice for bright, open spaces. If you want long-blooming color that stays tidy and easy to design around, this blanket flower fits naturally.

Distinctive Features

This variety forms a low, well-branched mound of green foliage topped with large, rich red flowers that can show slight variation, sometimes with small yellow tipping on some blooms. Flowering starts early in summer and continues well into fall, especially with periodic deadheading. The compact size makes it ideal for the front of sunny borders, and the sturdy stems hold up well in heat. It performs best in well-drained soil and tends to decline in wet, heavy sites, especially through winter.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun for best flowering and strongest growth.
• Soil: Well-drained soil, and average to lean soils are ideal.
• Water: Low to medium once established, with occasional deep watering during prolonged drought.
• USDA Zones: Zones 3 to 9.
• Mature Size: About 10 to 12 inches tall and 10 to 12 inches wide.
• Habit: Compact, mounded, and well-branched.
• Foliage: Green foliage that forms a tidy, dense base.
• Flower: Crimson to rosy red, daisy-like flowers from early summer to early fall.
• Notable Traits: Heat tolerant and drought tolerant once established in well-drained soil.
• Deer: Often deer resistant, but not deer proof.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use it as a focal point at the front of a sunny border where a concentrated patch of red blooms can carry the bed through summer.
• Edging: Plant along paths and bed fronts for a low, continuous ribbon of color.
• Rock and Gravel Gardens: Use in well-drained, sun-baked areas where compact plants are needed.
• Pollinator Beds: Add to sunny plantings to support butterflies and other pollinators through the long bloom season.
• Containers: Plant in pots with sharp drainage for dependable color in hot, exposed locations.

Low Maintenance Care

• Deadheading: Remove spent blooms to encourage continued flowering and keep the mound looking fresh.
• Watering: Water regularly the first season, then water deeply only during extended dry periods.
• Drainage: Avoid soggy soils and improve heavy ground with grit or raised beds to support longevity.
• Fertilizing: Fertilize lightly if needed, since overly rich feeding can reduce flowering.
• Seasonal Cleanup: Cut back tired stems in late fall or early spring to refresh growth.

Why Choose Arizona Red Shades Blanket Flower?

• Long Bloom Window: Flowers from early summer into fall for steady, reliable color.
• Compact Habit: Stays low and tidy, making it easy to place in the front of beds.
• Heat Performance: Handles hot sun and dry spells once established.
• Design Flexibility: Works in borders, gravel gardens, and containers without taking over.
• Pollinator Value: Supports butterflies and beneficial insects during peak season.

Arizona Red Shades Blanket Flower performs best in full sun with sharp drainage and a lighter watering routine after it settles in. Keep it deadheaded for the longest bloom run and avoid wet winter soil for better longevity. Used in small drifts or repeated along the edge, it delivers a clean, high-color finish that holds up through summer heat.