Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Gaillardia pulchella Foug.

Fully hardy, upright, bushy annual with yellow, red, or red and yellow flowers in summer.  To 45cm.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Horticultural & Botanical History

Curtis’s Botanical Magazine figures Gaillardia bicolor, with yellow ray florets, tinged red at the base, and red disc.  ‘A handsome herbaceous plant with fragrant flowers, which appear to vary considerably both in size and colour, as also in the number of florets in the radius.’  [BM t.1602/1813].  G. bicolor var. drummondii, no doubt the form grown by Macarthur, is figured in a later number.  ‘The very pretty Gaillardia here figured was raised in the Glasgow Botanic Garden, from seeds gathered by Mr. Drummond at Rio Brazos, in Texas, in the autumn of 1833.  It retains all the character of the wild specimens sent by the same indefatigable collector, except that the plants are larger and the foliage coarser.  But this foliage is very variable, entire or more or less toothed or incised, the lowermost and radical leaves pinnatifid, with a greater or less number of segments, and indeed quite similar to that of G. bicolor and G. aristata of authors. The flowers indeed appear different from both of those; but this difference is more dependent on colour, than any thing, and an.attentive examination of numerous specimens of all three, both cultivated and wild, have led me to the conclusion that they are in reality varieties of one and the same species.’  [BM t.3368/1834].  The excellent figure in the Floral Cabinet shows red flowers with a yellow edge.  [Fl.Ca. p.57/1838].  Introduced to Britain in 1787.  [PD].

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [H.105/1850].

Notes

Published Sep 15, 2009 - 05:22 PM | Last updated Feb 23, 2010 - 01:47 PM

Figured are leaves and red, yellow-tipped daisy flowers.  Curtis's Botanical Magazine t.3368/1834.

Gaillardia pulchella Foug. | BM t.3368/1834 | BHL

Family Asteraceae
Category
Region of origin

North America

Synonyms
  • Gaillardia drummondii DC.
  • Gaillardia bicolor var. drummondii Hook.
  • Gaillardia bicolor Lam. 
Common Name

Blanket flower, Indian blanket, Firewheel

Name in the Camden Park Record

Gaillardia Drummondi 

Confidence level high