lanceleaf blanketflower

Gaillardia aestivalis (Walter) H.Rock

Lanceleaf blanketflower can challenge the familiar picture of a daisy. In North Carolina, its rounded, dark red-purple flower discs commonly lack the surrounding rays, leaving a compact head on a relatively bare stem. Farther south, plants often have yellow rays, so the same species can present noticeably different flowering outlines. Vascular Plants of North Carolina: Lanceleaf Blanket-flower

Botanical name

Kew accepts Gaillardia aestivalis, based on Helenium aestivale Walter. The profile covers the species, with North Carolina observations identified regionally. Plants of the World Online: Gaillardia aestivalis

Recognizing the plant

Flora of North America describes a perennial, sometimes flowering in its first year, with stems commonly ten to sixty centimetres tall. Leaves along the stems range from narrow and linear to broader, spoon-shaped blades; upper leaves may clasp the stem. Their surfaces are usually rough with small hairs. Leaf edges can be smooth or sparsely toothed. Pointed bracts surround each flower head, and the ray florets, when present, form a spreading outer ring around the central disc. Flora of North America: Gaillardia aestivalis

Bloom window

North Carolina, United States

North Carolina records flowering and fruiting from July through October. Vascular Plants of North Carolina: Lanceleaf Blanket-flower

Native range

The species is native to the southeastern and south-central United States. In North Carolina it inhabits the Sandhills, especially dry to moderately moist longleaf pine–oak–wiregrass uplands and clearings. Plants of the World Online: Gaillardia aestivalis Vascular Plants of North Carolina: Lanceleaf Blanket-flower

Botanical sources

Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.