Blanket Flower Leaf Identification

The blanket flower (Gaillardia pulchella) goes by the names firewheel and Indian blanket, growing from Canada to Florida and west to Texas and the Dakotas, with a presence in the Southwest as well. Its leaves are identifiable by their shapes and colors.

Size

On the blanket flower plant, the leaves grow to lengths between 1 and 3 inches. However, the leaves grow longer on some hybrids of the blanket flower, such as the 3- to 6-inch-long leaves found on the Frenzy and Tizzy cultivars.

Features

The majority of the leaves found on the blanket flower lack stalks, according to the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers." In addition, the leaves are often hairy, have a coating of fine down on them or they feel bristly to the touch.

Shape and Color

The lower leaves on the blanket flower plant have blunt lobes, while the leaves growing on the upper part of the stems possess a spearhead shape. Those found on the species, Gaillardia purchella, are grayish-green, but the colors on the hybrid types are often more of a medium shade of green.

References

• Missouri Botanical Garden: Gaillardia Pulchella
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Gaillardia Frenzy
• Floridata: Gaillardia Pulchella
• "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers:Eastern Region;" John W. Thieret, Revised 2001 (Page 391)