Solar Gaillardia in your garden

1.Description - how it looks

Gaillardia is a flowering herbaceous perennial (less often an annual plant), the genus includes about 25 plant species. Bushes have strong, erect, branched shoots at the base.

Leaves are narrowly lanceolate, sessile, green, with arcuate venation, alternately arranged. The edges of the leaf plates are solid or with small denticles; the surface is often covered with long white hairs. In the lower part, the leaves are petiolate and large, but on the shoots they become smaller and sessile.

On the tops of the shoots, tall, erect peduncles are formed, often covered with small light pubescence. Large inflorescences appear on the peduncles, resembling chamomile in their appearance.

What people usually mistake for a single flower is actually an inflorescence made up of many reed (located at the edge) and tubular (center) flowers. Gaillardia inflorescences are often painted in several shades at once - burgundy, brown, yellow, orange, red, brown. Flowering is very abundant and long lasting.

After flowering on the bushes, a rounded head of compound fruit with oblong seeds is formed.

Modern varieties are compact in size and form dense, undersized, abundantly flowering bushes. Inflorescences differ not only in color, but also in shape and size.

Inflorescences can be simple, semi-double and double. In simple flower heads, along the edge of the inflorescence, there is one row of reed flowers, in semi-double ones - two or three rows of reed flowers. Terry flower baskets bear only central tubular or funnel-shaped flowers.

With its appearance, Gaillardia often resembles certain varieties of Gatsania, Gelenium and Rudbeckia. The plant got its name in the 18th century in honor of the French scientist - botanist Gaillard de Charentono.

Height. Plant height, depending on the specific variety and growing conditions, can be 30 - 50 cm. The highest varieties can reach a height of 90 cm.

Description and varieties

An ancient legend of Indian tribes tells about the origin of Gaillardia. In one of these tribes, a craftsman lived who made beautiful bedspreads that served the Indians both for outerwear and for the burial savannah. When the weaver felt the approach of death, he made his last veil, in which he was buried. The weaver presented the veil in yellow, red and brown colors to the Great Spirit, who liked the work so much that he ordered that the grave of the elderly man be decorated with flowers of the same shades.

In the spring, the grave of the Indian was decorated with amazing flowers of sunny shades and very quickly scattered throughout the lands of the tribe. The flower was named Indian blanketflower - Indian flower blanket.

As a horticultural crop, perennial Gaillardia is undemanding to care for. It tolerates drought and hot weather perfectly, many varieties are quite resistant to cold weather. Today, there are approximately 20 plant species. Flowers can be annual and perennial, with semi-double or double flowers, monochromatic and two-color. The buds are tied at the ends of the branchy stems. When the plants drop their color, seed pods continue to remain on the branches.

Perennial Gaillardia is a small bush 0.5–0.7 meters high, consisting of oblong leaves with jagged edges. Due to its decorating qualities and the duration of flowering, which begins in June and can last until the cold weather, Gaillardia has won the love of gardeners.

Plant varieties

A strikingly bright, yellow-red flower of the Aster family, so pleasant for its unpretentiousness to conditions and a long flowering period - this is perennial Gaillardia. Planting and caring for it is not difficult and accessible to everyone.

There are up to 25 species of this plant, but most often three species can be seen in flower beds - beautiful Gaillardia, spinous, hybrid. You can also isolate gailardia obtuse and lanceolate - its original shades always remain red and yellow in the most diverse combinations.

• Gaillardia (gaillardia) is a beautiful large-flowered - lush, up to half a meter in diameter, a bush with powerful baskets with a sunny yellow core, reddish petals. On the basis of wild species growing in Mexico, cultivated modifications have been created - terry Pikta, Lorenza variety with convex inflorescences, globular Yellow plume and terry Red plume.
• Gaillardia spinous is characterized by high, up to 75 centimeters, pubescent stems. It has to be tied up so that the shoots do not deviate in different directions. The most common types are Orange Mandarin, Wirral Flame, Dazze with traditional purple petals framed by a yellow border, and the sunny yellow Croftvav Yellow.
• Gaillardia hybrid combines the best features of the two previous species. This is a tall plant, the inflorescences of which amuse the eye for almost two months; the species of Bremen, Burgundy, Zone, Kobold and others are known. Low-growing species were also obtained - Prima Vera, Arizona San. Landing of both is not difficult.

Site registration

• Gaillardia has found a lot of applications in landscape design. So, it is used to organize:
• flower beds;
• mixed flower beds;
• borders;
• discount;
• alpine slides;
• group landings.

Those who are not versed in landscape design can simply decorate a section of the local area with Gaillardia - it looks great alone, without additional design. For cutting, tall plant species are grown - they look good both in a bouquet and in a photo.

A wonderful combination of the flower is obtained with other perennials - chamomile, daisy and asparagus. Gaillardia also looks spectacular in containers and flowerpots. Looks good against the background of green lawns and bushes.

It is easy to breed perennial Gaillardia on your site - it does not need systematic watering and specific conditions. It is quite enough to apply fertilizers from time to time and promptly remove dried inflorescences in order to exclude self-seeding.

Types of Gaillardia

Hybrid Gaillardia

This species includes varieties that originated from the fusion of spinous and beautiful Gaillardia. Plants reach a height of no more than 80 cm. Leaves are bright green, covered with dense pubescence, have the shape of a lancet. Blooms in June in double or semi-double baskets of different colors (from yellow to dark brown). Flowering lasts about two months, after which the foliage turns yellow and falls off. A feature of hybrid Gaillardia is the formation of round fruit-bearing plants as a result of flowering.

Spinous Gaillardia

I got to our latitudes of North America. It is thanks to this species that most varieties are created. Refers to tall perennial plants. The bushes are very spreading, covered with fluff, they reach a height of more than 75 cm, so it is recommended to tie up the shoots.

The leaves are bright green, simple, similar in shape to a lancet, can be oblong-oval, with denticles. Placement on shoots of basal leaves is petiolate, stem leaves are sessile. Flowering begins in June. The color of the tubular petals ranges from sunny yellow to blood red. Hybrids of this species are also called large-flowered Gaillardia.

Beautiful Gaillardia

The most popular annual among flower growers. The bushes grow sprawling, usually abundantly covered with inflorescences-baskets, reaching a diameter of 6.5 cm.The petals are ligulate, have a color of all shades of red and pink with impurities of yellow (usually at the tips). The middle consists of tubular flowers of a dark shade of red or brown.

How to plant Gaillardia outdoors

For landscape design, 2 types of perennial Gaillardia are most often used: spinous and hybrid. They have a wonderful decorative appearance, and the rules for caring for such plants are almost the same. Plants bloom in June. Their bright buds delight with their colors until the coldest days. In one place, such flowers grow well up to 5 years, gradually expanding more and more in breadth.

Where to plant

Gaillardia is planted in flower beds and mixed flower beds. It looks great in rabatkas and on alpine slides. It is also used as a curb plant. Such flowers look great in group plantings, consisting of several varieties. They are very effective against the backdrop of green lawns or bushes. They are used for container floriculture and are also grown for cutting.

Soil for plants

Perennial Gaillardia is undemanding to care for, but some rules still need to be followed. Almost any cultivated soil is suitable for planting these flowers. They do not like too moist and acidic soils. They thrive best on light, well-drained fertile soils. You should not fertilize them with fresh manure, since this plant does not like such organic matter. We choose sunny areas for planting flowers, although they can grow well in slightly shaded places. Before planting the plants, we fertilize the soil with rotted humus, compost, wood ash and complex mineral fertilizers (1 tablespoon / bucket of water).

Sowing

Reproduction of Gaillardia is carried out by seeds or by dividing adult bushes. We sow the seeds shallowly directly into the open ground on the prepared beds. Sowing is carried out in April-May. At a temperature of about 16-18 degrees, the first shoots break through after two weeks.

6 interesting plant facts

In its natural habitat, Gaillardia forms entire colonies with age, spreading through self-seeding and eventually capturing impressive areas of fields, forming a solid floral carpet. The buds blooming everywhere resemble a steppe fire, in connection with which the name of the flower is found in English - "firewheel" - a wheel of fire.

A particularly wide distribution of the flower is in states such as Texas and Oklahoma - and since 1985, the flower has even become a symbol of Oklahoma.

There is a legend according to which two girls lived in the same village and on the same street. One was hardworking and became a needlewoman - she could weave carpets with a floral pattern, which people from distant cities came to admire. Carpets were often bought to decorate their homes.

The second was a bum and did not learn anything, she was jealous of her hardworking neighbor, because she was respected and she was paid a lot of money. She also tried to become a weaver, only with envy all the patterns turned out to be gloomy and dark - such carpets were not popular and buyers.

Then she turned to the witch and she sent damage to the needlewoman - her hands were taken away, and soon the girl became completely ill and died. After a while, beautiful plants with bright, spectacular flowers grew on the site of the grave.

The fruit, dried after flowering, has an attractive hemispheric shape and can be used as dried flowers that will decorate rooms for 1 - 2 years.

Other popular Gaillardias

As you know, Gaillardia has been cultivated for many centuries and the popularity of the plant only increases every year. Today, there are more than 20 species of Gaillardia, but after Arizona Sun, the most popular hybrids are the Gaillardia Burgundy Perennial and the gailardia Hybrida Arizona Red. All flowers are perennial and are capable of decorating any site, garden or flower bed with their beauty.

Gaillardia Burgunder

Gaillardia hybrid gailardia Hybrida Arizona Red Shades is a short, compact flower that grows in height from 30 to 60 cm. It is best grown in open spaces, as it acquires extraordinary brightness under the influence of sunlight. It blooms for a long time and profusely. No special problems were found when growing by gardeners.

Note! As for the hybrid Burgunder Gaillardia, this bright perennial is most often planted near borders to decorate them, as well as in multi-tiered flower beds. This flower, thanks to its spectacular appearance and wine-red hue, is able to set the tone for the whole ensemble.

Bright Gaillardia can decorate any flower garden. This colorful plant, in addition to being pleasing to the eye, is distinguished by its endurance, resistance to drought and cold. Even a novice gardener will not have problems in the growing process. With minimal labor and care, the flower will delight with beauty throughout the summer.

How to plant?

Gaillardia is light-requiring, requires unshaded soil areas. The culture is satisfied with prepared light, slightly acidic and not waterlogged soils. Bushes should be planted in open ground at a distance of 30–35 cm. To increase their density, it is allowed to place 2-3 pieces in a hole. During planting, fertilize with humus, ash, compost and mineral compounds (35–40 g per 8–10 l of water).

The seed sowing order is as follows:

1. containers are filled with well-moistened soil;
2. sowing is performed in February or March, sprinkling with vermiculite substrate;
3. the seeds are distributed shallowly and evenly;
4. the containers are placed in illuminated places at a temperature of + 20– + 23 ° C, regularly moistening the soil;
5. sowing is covered with a film;
6. after 12-14 days, the sprouts that appear are placed in cooler conditions (for example, in a greenhouse);
7. sprouts at the stage of development of the third leaf dive into small containers, providing low-intensity watering and good illumination for 14 hours, using lamps.