Perennial flower gaillardia - planting and care, growing seedlings from seeds, varieties

Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/ru/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: Garden plants Published: January 02, 2019Last edits: January 13, 2021

plant (lat. Gaillardia) , or gaillardia , or gaillardia , belongs to a genus of the Asteraceae family, numbering approximately twenty-five species that grow wild in South and North America. Gaillardias are drought-resistant herbaceous annuals and perennials, named after the French philanthropist and patron of botany, member of the Paris Academy of Sciences Gaillard de Charentonau, who lived in the 18th century.

Description

Gaillardia perennial from the Asteraceae family owes its unique name to the philanthropist from France Gaillard de Charenteau, who was fond of botany.

The culture has chosen the territory of North and South America, and is cultivated on almost all continents, since it is resistant to drought and the ability to develop in areas with frequent changes in temperature.

The height of gaillardia reaches 1 meter. The stems are densely branched. The leaves, which have an oval shape and jagged edges, are alternately located on the stem. Tall peduncles contain flowers at the top, collected in huge inflorescences. One bud consists of numerous ligulate, toothed flowers along the edges.

There are many types of gaillardia, each of which can be recognized by its external characteristics.

Beautiful

The spreading gaillardia bush has thin and tall pedicels with basket-shaped inflorescences 6-7 cm in diameter at the top. The bud is a spectacular red-purple color, which turns yellow towards the end of flowering. Some varieties of beautiful gaillardia are annual, so they are not in demand among gardeners.

Pictah

The unusual bright gaillardia has a double or semi-double large inflorescence. The second name is “painted”, due to the variety of colors with which the bud can be painted.

Lorenz

The variety is distinguished by spherical double inflorescences, consisting of yellow-red reed and yellow tubular funnel-shaped flowers with a jagged limb. Gaillardia can bloom for a long time from June to the second ten days of November.

Red Plume

Gaillardia has double inflorescences with reed flowers of a red hue, which are arranged in 2-3 rows. The tubular parts of the inflorescence have a purple tint and are funnel-shaped.

Yellow Plume

The Gaillardia variety is popular among gardeners. The basket inflorescences are spherical and terry. The core consists of yellow pseudo-lingulate flowers.

spinous

This plant is valued by gardeners for its straight shoots with dense pubescence at the top. The height of gaillardia varies from 30 to 75 cm. The basket can reach a diameter of 12 cm. The foliage is oval-shaped with a jagged edge, and the variegated reed flowers are colored yellow or orange. Depending on the color, spinous gaillardia is divided into different varieties.

Mandarin

This variety of gaillardia lives up to its name, as it has brightly colored petals arranged in several rows.

Wirral flame

The core has a ruby ​​tint, which evenly turns into light orange up to the edge of the petals.

Dazzer

The bases of the reed flowers have a red tint, and the edges have a yellow, sandy tint.

Croftwav Yellow

The inflorescence is often compared to the sun due to the rich yellow color of the petals.

Hybrid

The parents of the hybrid are spinous and beautiful gaillardia. The average height of the plant is 80 cm. The shoot is decorated with lanceolate, pubescent leaves, symmetrically located on a high stem. The culture blooms for a month and a half with large double inflorescences painted in hot colors.

Bremen

This variety is capable of growing up to 70 cm. The marginal petals of the inflorescence baskets have a bright wine color, decorated with a crimson border.

Burgundy

The plant reaches 50 cm and has inflorescences of a single wine color.

Often does not exceed 50 cm, the inflorescences in the form of baskets include reed flowers of a yellow tone, which shimmers from dark to light shades.

Kobold

They are distinguished by straight and branched shoots, reaching a height of 150 cm. The bud itself is large with a crimson core consisting of tubular flowers. The reed flowers shimmer with a yellow tint, which gradually turns into red towards the end.

Golden Goblin

The newly developed variety is distinguished by its low-growing, perennial shoot, which is topped with a golden-hued inflorescence. It has a long flowering period, great for decorating a stone flower garden.

Tokajer

A novelty in the field of breeding ornamental plants, which is distinguished by its tallness. The perennial bush has a large number of bright orange inflorescences that look great when composing a composition.

Primavera

A low-growing variety, not exceeding 25 cm in height. The compact bush has rosettes, from which up to 8 peduncles are formed, topped with baskets up to 12 cm in diameter.

Arizona Sun

It grows no higher than 30 cm. It forms a round bush with gray-green foliage and numerous inflorescences. The orange-red flowers attract attention, blooming in June and delighting until September.

Grandiflora

The compact form of gaillardia is 25-30 cm high. One rosette can form 6-8 peduncles, with terracotta-red flowers 10-12 cm in diameter.

Oriental patterns

Large inflorescences up to 12 cm in diameter with copper-red flowers with yellow ends and a yellow center with a purple shading. Gaillardia blooms from June until frost.

Montana

Exotic perennial with a straight stem, bending at the bottom, up to 75 cm tall. Inflorescences are solitary, up to 12 cm in diameter. The reed flowers are variegated, yellow and orange in color. Gaillardia is able to bloom for a long time and take part in the preparation of many successful color compositions.

Lanceolate and blunt-toothed

A tall perennial plant reaching more than 50 cm in height, it has dark green leaves and medium-sized red inflorescences. The branched stem of gaillardia is dotted with a large number of small lanceolate-shaped leaves with a dissected border.

Large-flowered

Perennial gaillardia, which is distinguished by its large bud size and therefore fully lives up to its name. The diameter of the inflorescences exceeds 10 cm with reed flowers of yellow-red color with a red center. Mesmerizing in June flowering.

Krasava

The plant can grow up to 70-75 cm, boasting single inflorescences with variegated reed flowers with a dark yellow center. The shoots at the bottom have a peculiar bend.

Red shades

A compact bush, not exceeding 30 cm, with 6-8 peduncles on one representative, on which there is a large inflorescence from 10 to 12 cm in diameter. Can bloom for 5-6 years.

Amber

Gaillardia grows up to 70-75 cm in height, inflorescences grow up to 12 cm in diameter. Abundant flowering is observed throughout the summer. Used in making the most elegant and bright bouquets.

Types and varieties of gaillardia with photos and names

There are about 30 species of this plant. The most popular types among flower growers are:

• Beautiful (Gaillardia pulchella)
• Aristata (Gaillardia aristata)
• Hybrid (Gaillardia hybrida)

Beautiful (Gaillardia pulchella)

Beautiful gaillardia is a wild, annual plant that is widespread in the southeastern United States. The bushes grow spreading up to 60 cm high with flowers 6-7 cm in diameter. Flowering continues throughout the summer and reproduces by self-sowing.

The most famous and popular varieties of this species:

"Lorenz"

The variety "Lorenza" has spherical, double inflorescences arranged singly. Spreading bushes up to 60 centimeters high.

"Red Plume"

Red Plume is a medium-sized bush, up to 50 cm high; on straight shoots there are single inflorescences of an unusual burgundy color, up to 8 cm in diameter.

"Yellow Plume"

Gaillardia Yellow Plume is distinguished by large, spherical yellow inflorescences. The height of the bush is about 30 cm, the diameter of the inflorescences is 6-8 cm. It can be grown in pots and flowerpots.

Spinous (Gaillardia aristata) or grandiflora

Gaillardia spinosa is a tall perennial plant. The bushes are spreading, tall, and can grow up to 75 cm, so it is better to tie up the shoots. Flowering lasts from June to the end of August. The most famous varieties:

"Mandarin"

Mandarin (Gaillardia Mandarin) - bush 60-70 cm in height. The inflorescences are lush, bright orange, 12 cm in diameter. Flowering from June until frost.

"Dazzer"

Dazzler A tall plant, thin but strong shoots reach a height of 70-75 cm. Up to 70 cm. The variety is demanding on watering and is frost-resistant. Can be used in group and single plantings.

When and how to plant

There are two methods of planting gaillardia seeds: sowing in the ground and using seedlings. The first is practically not used, since the conditions of our climate do not allow the plant to fully develop, and more than half of the seedlings die.

Seedling method

One of the popular methods is seedling, since it guarantees a high percentage of germination, but requires more effort, unlike direct planting in the soil.

Disembarkation

Sowing should begin in early March. To do this, you need to take containers in the form of small containers or pots, pour wet soil into them and distribute the seeds over the substrate. Gently sprinkle the top with a thin layer of nutrient soil or vermiculite, which contains active minerals such as potassium, magnesium, silicon, and iron.

Storage

Place the material in a bright place, but also take care to avoid direct sunlight. The germination temperature of perennial gaillardia seeds is 20-22 degrees. Seedlings will begin to appear in the second week. After the first shoots, move the containers with the crops to a cool place where the air temperature will be no more than 20 degrees.

Diseases and pests

With proper planting and compliance with all aspects of care, gaillardia can resist diseases and pests well. The cause of the disease is considered to be waterlogged soil and shade.

Prevention is quite simple: cultivate gaillardia in the right place, providing it with space and observing watering conditions.

Powdery mildew

A white coating forms on the vegetative parts of the plant, leading to its gradual withering.

White rust

In the first stages, a white coating appears, which acquires a reddish tint.

The pest pierces the epidermis of the plant and sucks out the juices, this prevents the perennial from fully developing.

Whitefly

The small white midge, feeding on the juice of the flower, is considered a carrier of various viruses and infections.

Care and preparation for winter

Timely feeding, loosening and weeding - that’s all the care a perennial needs. It is drought-resistant, so it needs to be watered after the top layer of soil has completely dried. If the dry period is prolonged, increase watering frequency. But remember that this flowerbed dweller does not like waterlogged soil.

It is useful to mulch the bed with compost. It is recommended to feed two or three times during the summer with mineral fertilizers. It is especially important to fertilize flowers during budding to ensure abundant flowering. It is advisable to carry out the final fertilizing a month before frost, after the faded flower heads are cut off.

Gaillardia color in the garden

Tall bushes often fall apart. To maintain a beautiful shape, they need to be tied up - sometimes it is enough to surround the bush with more durable flowers, such as irises or peonies, which will serve as a support for them.

Although the flower is considered frost-resistant, the bushes can freeze. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to cover them with leaves, coniferous branches, peat, especially if these are plants of the first year of life.

It is better to trim the above-ground part of the flower in October, leaving stems 3-5 cm long. Pruning will not allow pests to overwinter in the remains of the leaves and will prevent their rotting.

The culture has strong immunity. But it can also be destroyed by pests and diseases, especially fungal ones - powdery mildew, white rust, gray rot. If spots appear on the leaves, treat the perennial with a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicides. These can be colloidal sulfur, Bordeaux mixture, preparations Hom, Oxychom, Topaz. Pests, mainly whiteflies, are controlled with insecticides such as Decis and Actellik. If the damage has gone too far, it is better to dig up the bush and burn it.

Reproduction

There are two ways to propagate Gaillardia: by seeds and by dividing the bush. It is recommended to resort to such actions when the plants reach the age of 4-5 years.

Seeds

Gaillardia seeds are formed in the core closer to autumn. They should be collected and sorted, leaving only large and healthy specimens. Store in a dry, warm place in bags or paper bags that allow sufficient air to pass through. The seeds can be used for planting next season.

Dividing the bush

The bush must be carefully dug up and divided into parts with shoots and roots. Plant the resulting parts in flower beds. The procedure is carried out in the spring.

Reproduction by dividing a bush step by step with video

Large and strong plants can be dug up and divided into several parts. Reproduction of Gaillardia by dividing the bush is carried out in spring or autumn after flowering 2-3 weeks before frost. There is nothing complicated in this procedure:

1. The bush is dug up from all sides with a pitchfork or shovel.
2. You need to get the plant along with a lump of earth and divide it into parts.
3. Each division should have several stems with good roots.
4. The cuttings are planted in prepared holes, covered with soil and watered.

In a video clip from the YouTube channel they show how to dig up a Gaillardia bush, divide it into sections and plant them in another place.

Answers on questions

How to prune Gaillardia?

Carefully remove only the dried vegetative and generative parts of the bush, without damaging the main central trunk.

What are the flowering times for Gaillardia?

Flowering times depend on the variety. The perennial mainly blooms almost all summer and the first month of autumn.

To grow a beautiful gaillardia, you need to properly care for it, know how to replant it and protect it from possible dangers. And then the perennial, surrounded by attention, will decorate any local area with bright blooms and an elegant appearance.

Reviews

Vera: “One of the most unpretentious and frost-resistant ornamental crops. I’ve been growing it in a flowerbed for a long time and using it to make original bouquets.”

Marina: “The plant grows quickly and fills all the free spaces. Small varieties look great along the edges of paths.”

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In its homeland in America it is called the “wheel of fire,” and in Russia it is called “sunny flower” or “variegated daisy.” His real name sounds beautiful and noble - gaillardia.

Photo of gaillardia in the garden

This flower began to be used in floriculture more than two centuries ago and to this day is considered a real find; it is unpretentious, hardy, easy to plant and care for, and responds with lush flowering to a minimum of care.

Content:

However, some gardeners believe: “What my neighbor has is not interesting to me!” And your neighbor definitely has gaillardia. But don’t rush to consider this flower uninteresting!

This is what gaillardia looks like.

Description of gaillardia

Gaillardia belongs to the Aster family, it is similar to daisies, sunflowers, gerberas, and zinnias... Initially, this herbaceous plant was an annual, but breeders bred several of its species as a perennial.

Gaillardia grows in the sunniest places, tolerates heat and winter cold well, is undemanding to watering and belongs to the favorite group of plants called “self-growing”.

Several years ago the flower was described as “a bush 60–80 cm high, with straight stems, blooming profusely from June to August with large yellow-orange or yellow-red flowers.”

Now the description has become much richer:

• miniature specimens up to 30 cm high appeared;
• the color range has expanded significantly: from apricot to raspberry tones;
• the size of the inflorescences and their fullness have increased: there are many varieties with semi-double and double flowers;
• The flowering period now for many representatives is from June until frost.

And this is without losing the main qualities - unpretentiousness, drought and frost resistance. Now you can choose a variety that your neighbor definitely doesn’t have!

Unusual raspberry petals.

Luxurious terry specimen

Application in landscape design

Perennial gaillardia flowers are widely used in mixborders, for decorating flower beds, alpine slides, and ridges. When decorating wide borders, low-growing varieties of crops are often used. In the field of home landscape design, two perennial varieties of this marvelous subshrub are common, which in the wild is represented by more than 25 species.

Perennial hybrid gaillardia

The species, which is the result of the painstaking work of breeders, was obtained by crossing Gaillardia spinosa with various wild annual varieties of the flower. The plant is in the form of a bush, the height of which does not exceed 80 cm, formed by many shoots surrounded by drooping lanceolate-type leaves. Double or semi-double inflorescences in the shape of baskets are formed by reed and tubular flowers of red, brown, orange and bronze shades. The beginning of flowering is observed in early summer. The duration of the flowering phase is about two months. Among flower growers, the most popular varieties are the two-flowered “Zone”, “Kobold” with an atypical red frame of flowers, the low-growing “Arizona Sun”, the profusely blooming and at the same time compact “Primavera”, the red “Burgunder” with yellow splashes.

Gaillardia spinosa

A bushy perennial with a height of 30 to 75 cm was brought to Europe from the North American region. The species has erect, dense shoots that bend at the bottom. The shoots are covered with petiolate sessile leaf plates that have lanceolate, oval or oblong shapes. Before flowering, basket-shaped inflorescences with a diameter of up to 12 cm are formed on the shoots, which are formed by reed flowers of orange, yellow or red colors. Flowering begins with the arrival of summer. Garden forms of this variety are united under the general name gaillardia grandiflora. The most common varieties are: “Dazzer”, “Wirral Flame”, “Mandarin”.

Thus, for a small amount of effort and attention, gaillardia will give the grower abundant flowering and a riot of bright colors.

Growing gaillardia from seeds

The desire to grow gaillardia from seeds arises if you like a certain color or quality of the mother plant. It must be said that not every gaillardia seed will repeat the desired characteristics, therefore the best and most reliable option is to purchase selection seeds from trusted manufacturers.

There are two ways to grow gaillardia from seeds:

1. Planting in containers at home. This needs to be done at the very beginning of March in order to plant the seedlings in the beds in May. In this case, gaillardia can bloom as early as June.
2. Sowing seeds in open ground. This work is carried out in April. In August, the grown bushes are transplanted into flower beds, where they overwinter. Gaillardia will bloom next year.

general information

Knowledge of some of the characteristics of this representative of the flora will help to better understand the specifics of its planting in open ground and the organization of care.

• Gaillardia is a bushy plant whose roots are quite powerful. They do not go deep into the ground, but develop horizontally.
• This perennial, unlike the same daisy, can not be replanted for up to 5 years. And this will not affect its development and flowering in any way (naturally, for the worse). An additional convenience for a gardener who already has enough to do on his property throughout the entire season.
• The height of the stem of different varieties of gaillardia ranges from 30 to 85 cm, and therefore it is divided into low- and tall-growing plants. You should know this, since multi-level compositions created on flower beds (lawns, alpine slides) only emphasize the original design style and individuality of the site.

• Gaillardia can reproduce throughout the territory by self-sowing. This is an additional advantage, as many summer residents believe. Caring for it is greatly simplified, since it does not take much time to thin out thickets of flowers. Therefore, a transplant will not be needed; It’s enough just to pull out old bushes.
• When planting gaillardia, you need to take into account that if seeds are placed in the soil, the color will only appear in the next season. For those who are not satisfied with this, other propagation methods are preferable - with seedlings or bushes obtained after dividing the “parent”.

Planting gaillardia in open ground

When choosing an area in the open ground for planting, it is necessary to take into account that gaillardia can grow in one place for up to 4 – 5 years.

Gaillardia should be given the sunniest place and not be afraid that it will dry out. Even summer residents who come only on weekends and have the opportunity to water their seedlings 1-2 times a week successfully grow this unpretentious flower. On the contrary, in partial shade or high humidity, gaillardia does not bloom and grows stunted.

The flower is not picky about the soil, the main thing is that the soil is light and non-acidic. In the hole for the first planting you need to add a bucket of compost, 30 - 50 g of complex mineral fertilizers and a glass of wood ash. The mixture must be mixed well with the soil.

The holes are placed at a distance of 30 cm from each other. To make the bush grow more lush, you can plant 2 - 3 seedlings in one hole, but this depends on the variety.

Selecting a location

Gaillardia, to the delight of flower growers, is absolutely undemanding, and therefore enjoys literally popular love. She only needs the bare minimum:

• light, “permeable” soil;
• good lighting;
• moderate humidity.

It is not difficult to find a segment of territory that meets these criteria in almost any area. As a last resort, on problem soils you can make a bulk flower bed by preparing the substrate yourself.

Gaillardia care

The traditional set of measures for caring for gaillardia, to our joy, is very small:

1. Watering is infrequent, but plentiful. During a long period of drought, it is worth increasing the number of waterings.
2. Loosening is necessary after each watering. To prevent cracking of the soil and facilitate the delivery of oxygen to the roots.
3. Feeding is carried out three times per season:

• during the period of bud formation,
• during flowering,
• in the fall, in order to prepare gaillardia for winter.

For feeding, humus and complex mineral fertilizers are used, depending on the phase of the plant’s life.

Trimming dry stems

Growing in flowerpots

Although gaillardia is considered a flower for open ground, it also grows well in flowerpots. For this purpose, low-growing varieties are used. Just one seedling is enough for a flowerpot to create a magnificent, lush and long-blooming bouquet.

Patio containers work too. Here it can be combined with hanging flowers or put together a bouquet of gaillardias of several varieties and colors.

Planting in containers is carried out in late April - early May.

Particular attention should be paid to drainage, since in a confined space there is a risk of excess moisture accumulation. The soil required is light, loose, non-acidic.

Caring for gaillardia in a flowerpot is even simpler:

• provide the plant with a sunny place,
• watering should be very moderate,
• fertilizing - at the same time as for gaillardias in the ground, but recalculating the volume of soil in the flowerpot.

At the end of the season, gaillardia can be transplanted into open ground for wintering and covered with foliage or spruce branches. It is not worth taking it indoors; gaillardia needs a period of rest, which it has in the winter.

Reproduction

In addition to the seed propagation method described above, gaillardia can also be propagated by dividing the bush. Usually this process is combined with transplantation.

The best time for this event is April. The plant has already awakened, the first shoots have emerged, and the size of the bush has become clearly visible. This is important to avoid damaging the roots when digging it up. Now you need to complete the following steps:

1. Prepare holes for future plantings at intervals of at least 30 cm.
2. Fill them with a mixture of humus or compost with wood ash and complex mineral fertilizers, dig well.
3. Moisten the soil around abundantly.
4. Dig up the bush completely.
5. Using a sharp knife, divide the rhizome into large parts with several shoots. This is done so that the bush turns out strong, grows quickly and blooms in due time, i.e. in June.
6. Water new plantings generously and loosen the soil after 2–3 days.

The more shoots, the better.

Further care for the transplanted gaillardia is exactly the same as described above.

You can reproduce by dividing the bush in the fall, but only at the very beginning of September. Young plantings must have time to take root and gain strength in order to survive the winter cold. Feeding them with potassium fertilizer and covering them with leaves will be a good help in this.

If autumn time is chosen, then before dividing you need to cut off all flower stalks from the bush. They have already fulfilled their function and without them it is easier to carry out all the manipulations.

Gaillardia in garden design

Tall gaillardias look great as a separate planting against the background of conifers and ornamental shrubs.

The combination of gaillardia with lupins is very beautiful, but the mixture with rudbeckia and echinacea is often confusing, because they look like twins, but together they form a colorful, cheerful composition.

Borders and mixborders are everything for gaillardia. It will stand out everywhere with its luxurious and bright appearance, if only there was enough sun!

Low-growing gaillardias are no less charming. Even the stones on an alpine hill seem less gray if there is a variegated daisy bush nearby.

It is also convenient to place gaillardia in a flowerpot, which can be moved if necessary. Several of these mobile compositions will decorate a section of the garden, a patio, or a veranda... Wherever you place your gaillardia, it will enliven the space around it and create a sunny mood.

Diseases and pests

Gaillardia is rarely exposed to diseases, and it is also rarely attacked by pests, but still, when caring for the plant, it is necessary to inspect it taking into account these problems.

Landing

Planting a crop involves choosing the location of the future flower garden, preparing the soil and directly planting the crop.

When choosing a place where gaillardia will grow, it is important to rely on the following points:

the area should be well lit, because perennials are light-loving crops;

• The flower will grow well in light cultivated soil;
• You should not plant the plant in soil with high acidity and high humidity; you should also avoid heavy soils with a high humus content.

When planting, it is also important to determine the optimal layout of the bushes relative to each other: it is better to maintain a distance of approximately 35 cm between them. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Uth5U_nVFzo

Soil preparation

At the time of planting, perennial gaillardia needs to be fed with organic and mineral fertilizers:

• organic matter: humus or compost (bucket), wood ash (1-2 cups) - added directly to the planting hole;
• complex mineral supplement (1 tbsp).

After making the necessary additives, the holes are well shed with water, bushes are installed in them and sprinkled with earth.

Planting methods

Just like other perennial plants, gaillardia reproduces in two ways:

Vegetative

The easiest method for getting a new plant. It is used to separate lush old plants, since the growth of this flower occurs very slowly. It is best to divide the bush in mid-spring, but you can also divide it in the fall immediately after removing the flower stalks, so that the flower has time to take root and take root.

Plants grow well from seeds that are not collected on time and fall to the ground. However, the daughter flowers can be very different from the mother flowers. To control the spread of gaillardia, you need to leave some flower stalks specifically to obtain seed material, and after they ripen, collect and dry the seeds.

Planting by seeds

The seeds are scattered on a scout bed with well-moistened soil. At the same time, maintain a distance between bushes of about 25 cm. For sowing seedlings, it is better to take individual containers, since the crop does not tolerate transplantation very well. When sowing, you do not need to deepen the seeds - a maximum of 1 cm. Otherwise, they will not be able to germinate.

After sowing, the area must be covered with material to create a greenhouse effect. When planting seedlings, the containers are also covered with film and placed in a warm place with a temperature of about 23 degrees. After 1.5 - 2 weeks, sprouts will appear. As soon as they have 2 or 3 true leaves, the seedlings must be picked.

To do this, simply transfer the sprout along with a lump of earth into a large container, while trying not to damage the roots. The strengthened and grown sprouts are then transplanted to a permanent place in late summer - early autumn or spring.