203 · Arizona Apricot (Gaillardia)

About this plant

An All-America Selections winner in warm apricot, gold and salmon — the colors of an Arizona sky at dusk — on 3-to-4-inch daisies over a tidy 12-inch mound. Bred for heat and drought, it takes full desert sun without sulking and blooms from March into November. It also flowers up to a month earlier than most gaillardias, which is exactly what you want from a February planting.

Planting it at home

When to plant out

Wait until after our last frost (about mid-February) and warm soil — usually March. Until then keep the pot in a sunny, sheltered spot and bring it in on cold nights.

Where

The hottest, sunniest, driest spot you have — west-facing beds, xeriscape, gravel gardens, containers

Spacing

12–18 in apart (Swallowtail)

Size

12 in tall (Swallowtail), 3–4 in flowers. Compact — no staking needed.

Support

Bush / compact — little or no support

Care

Sun

Full sun

Water

Low to moderate. Drought tolerant once established; needs well-drained soil.

Feed

A light flower fertilizer every 3–4 weeks while blooming (general guide).

Pick / harvest

Cut when the flower is fully open, first thing in the morning; strip lower foliage and use preservative (GITG)

Deadhead

Cut off spent flowers to keep new blooms coming.

Good to know

Caution

Wear gloves: hairy leaves can irritate skin. Not edible.

Grown from

Seed — sown by FHCG volunteers

Uses

Xeriscape and pollinator beds, borders, containers, cut flowers

Life cycle

Perennial (Gaillardia aristata, hardy to zone 2–3 per Swallowtail). In 9b it is a genuine returning perennial, though often short-lived — expect 2–3 good years, and it self-sows.

Heirloom or hybrid

Heirloom — saved seeds grow true

Pollinators

Bees, including native bees, and butterflies (Swallowtail; GITG). GITG also notes assassin bugs and spiders take up residence, and birds eat the seedheads if left standing.

Heat (our summer)

Excellent. Full sun, heat and drought tolerant; blooms fade faster in extreme heat, so deadhead regularly (GITG).

Cold

Yes — hardy to zone 2–3, far colder than Fountain Hills ever gets

Color

Soft apricot and gold blending into salmon, on 3–4 in daisy blooms (Baker Creek FL1045; Swallowtail)

Edible

No. Not a food plant. Fuzzy hairs on leaves and stems can irritate skin; wear gloves (NC State Extension).