Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) in Zone 8a & 8b

Gaillardia x grandiflora

When to plant gaillardia (blanket flower) in zone 8b

Zones 8a and 8b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) tolerates either.

Start indoors	Feb 4–Feb 11
Direct sow / transplant outside	Apr 1–Apr 8
Estimated bloom	Jun 20–Jun 27 (~80 days after planting)

Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-1.5 ft.

Gaillardia (blanket flower) is one of the few heat-tolerant annuals here that stays put instead of sprawling across the bed. It forms a tidy 10-15 inch mound and just keeps blooming through the kind of summer heat that shuts down less tolerant flowers.

How gaillardia (blanket flower) fits zone 8's season

Zone 8b's frost-free window runs about 230 days, from March 25 to November 10. Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) needs about 80 days from sowing to first harvest.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Gaillardia (Blanket Flower).

Where to buy gaillardia seeds

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See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing gaillardia (blanket flower)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 8b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

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Growing Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) in USDA zone 8b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.

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