Flower profile
Great blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Great blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–July across the U.S.
Great blanketflower is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota
Quick look
Gaillardia aristata is a North American species of flowering plant in the sunflower family. It is known by the common names common blanketflower and common gaillardia. This perennial wildflower is native to the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, but cultivars have been introduced in much of North America and Europe.
- It belongs to the Asteraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 20 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado, Montana and North Dakota. NatureServe
- In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. iNaturalist
- In Montana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as spring. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 2 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 2,862 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #52 among the 160 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,507 research-grade sightings of it in Montana, ranking #12 among the 128 flowers on our Montana list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 150 research-grade sightings of it in North Dakota, ranking #45 among the 116 flowers on our North Dakota list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Native | June–July | 2,862 |
| Montana | Native | June–August | 1,507 |
| North Dakota | Native | few records (31) | 150 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Colorado
- No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Colorado.
- Montana
- No list Montana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Montana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Montana.
- North Dakota
- No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records great blanketflower in 20 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Colorado counties with USDA records: Baca, Boulder, Clear Creek, Costilla, Custer, Eagle, El Paso, Fremont, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Huerfano, Jefferson, Larimer, Las Animas, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt.
Montana counties with USDA records: Beaverhead, Big Horn, Blaine, Broadwater, Carbon, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fallon, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Golden Valley, Granite, Hill, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Lincoln, Madison, McCone, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Musselshell, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Pondera, Powder River, Powell, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sanders, Sheridan, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Teton, Toole, Treasure, Valley, Wheatland, Wibaux, Yellowstone.
North Dakota counties with USDA records: Barnes, Benson, Billings, Bottineau, Burke, Burleigh, Cass, Cavalier, Dickey, Divide, Dunn, Eddy, Emmons, Foster, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McHenry, McIntosh, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Nelson, Oliver, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Ransom, Renville, Richland, Rolette, Sheridan, Slope, Stark, Steele, Stutsman, Towner, Ward, Wells, Williams.
Growing conditions
USDA PLANTS gives Great blanketflower a high shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.5 to 7.9 and winter lows down to -33 °F.
- Shade tolerance
- High
- Drought tolerance
- Medium
- Moisture use
- Medium
- Soil textures it is adapted to
- coarse, medium
- Soil pH range
- 5.5 to 7.9
- Minimum temperature tolerated
- -33 °F
- Frost-free days needed (minimum)
- 100
- Annual precipitation range
- 16 to 30 inches
- Minimum root depth
- 16 inches
- Salinity tolerance
- Low
- Fertility requirement
- Low
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Lifespan
- Moderate
- Active growth period
- Spring
- Fruit or seed
- Brown · Summer to Fall
- Can be propagated by
- seed
- Commercial availability
- Routinely Available
From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for GAAR. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 239 counties across 17 states; the most are in Montana (56), North Dakota (44), Washington (20).
Other Gaillardia on Bloomipedia (2): Firewheel, Lanceleaf blanketflower.
More from the Asteraceae family (212 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common yarrow, Goldenrods, White snakeroot, Sunflowers, Chicory, Black-eyed Susan, Bull thistle, Common dandelion.
More Colorado flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile GAAR.
- iNaturalist, Gaillardia aristata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Gaillardia aristata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
- Montana: Montana noxious weed list (Admin. R. Mont. 4.5.206–4.5.210).
- North Dakota: North Dakota state noxious weeds (N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02), as listed by the ND Department of Agriculture.
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Gaillardia aristata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Dan Vickers via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.