Common Name: Firewheel

Latin Name:  Gaillardia pulchella

Family:  Asteraceae

Habit:  An annual wildflower that grows to a height of 1-2 feet.

Leaves:  Alternate, lanceolate – oblanceolate and hairy.   Leaves on the upper stems are sessile and entire.  Leaves on the lower part of the plant are stalked and may be toothed or lobed.

Flowers:  The reddish-orange, reddish-purple, flower petals are tipped with yellow and appear all year.

Habitat:  It occurs naturally in old fields, roadsides, disturbed sites and beaches.

Landscape:  In the home landscape it grows in full sun to part shade with average to dry soils.

Range:  It is native to the following states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OH,

OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, and WI.

It grows in zones 5a to 11.

Wildlife use:  Bees and butterflies use the flowers as a nectar source.