In the large family Asteraceae or Compositae gaylardiya occupies a prominent place. However, sometimes it is confused with rudbecia. And although their flowers are a bit similar, in General, these plants are very different.
The flowers or rather florets Gilardi resemble the suns. In the center they are always more bright-red, thick pink, and the tips of their reed flowers (those often called petals) are usually toothed and very juicy yellow. Gailardia love and grow many gardeners. But let’s get to know her better.
Botanical description
Gailardia belongs to the genus of the same name (Gaillardia) and contains only 25 species. The name of his plants have received the name Gaillarde, Horstenau member of the Academy of Sciences in Paris, who was the patron of the Botanical society. Hailing from all regions of America, they grow both in the Northern States and in the southern hemisphere. Plants are mainly perennial.
At first, they form a root rosette of simple, slightly oblong leaves. The stems appear later, and they bloom in many baskets. A characteristic feature-strong pubescence: leaves and shoots covered with numerous rough, even hard hairs.
The flowers of different types and varieties of gaylardia, at first glance, quite similar, but if you look closely, what a variety of colors and tones! Yellow and gold, red, purple and brown, which transitions from one color to another! Some have a fully painted red petals, and only the tip is gold-tone rim, and the base of the petals slightly reddish, then go in deep yellow color, the third the ray flowers are rolled into a tube with teeth on the edge.
Consider some of the types of gailardia.
Gaylardiya spinous
Hailing from Western North America, Gaillardia aristata. Strongly pubescent stems grow to 65-75 cm, they are quite flexible and therefore they should be tied to the support. The oblong leaves are also covered with hairs.
Large inflorescences sit on the stems one by one. Regional petals (ligulate flowers) painted a very bright yellow-orange tone with copper shimmer, middle, and formed yellow-purple tubular flowers. Blooms for a long time, from June to the end of summer.
The varieties are generally called “grandiflora”, some of the most interesting are:
- ‘Primavera’. Compact plant. Reed flowers juicy yellow on the edge and red at the base. The middle is dark, reddish-brown.
- ‘Dazzler’. Inflorescence with reed flowers painted at the base in bright red, which goes to the top of the orange-sand.
- ‘Mandarin’. Red-yellow petals make the flower look like this fruit.
- ‘Fanfare’. Plant height of 50 cm, the Inflorescence is a likeness of the sun of tubular red and yellow flowers, which fade as the rays from dark red convex center. Flowering is long, from June to October.
Gaillаrdia hybrida
It’s not a natural species, and hybrids, obtained by crossing gaillardia spinous and Gilardi beautiful. The height of shoots reaches 50-80 cm Leaves oblong, pubescent, inflorescences about 10 cm in diameter. Blooms from June for two months.
The following varieties have proven themselves:
- ‘Frenzy’. Large inflorescences, wine-red petals are decorated with a yellow border, the center is red and convex. Plant height 45-60 cm.
- ‘Burgunder’. Height shoots 50-60 cm Baskets up to 10 cm in diameter, the petals are painted in dark red shades, the middle is brown and yellow.
- ‘Zonne’. Plants up to 60 cm all inflorescence in yellow: the transition from the Golden edge to the dark yellow center.
- ‘Arizona Sun’. Neat rounded Bush up to 30 cm in height. Orange-red flowers with a diameter of about 9 cm
- ‘Golden Goblin’. Short, compact plants with Golden-yellow baskets. A period of abundant flowering long.
- ‘Dakota Reveille’. Large bushes up to 60 cm are crowned with large double flowers. Red petals with yellow border.
- ‘Mesa Peach’. Powerful bushes up to 45 cm Inflorescence yellow-orange with a copper border around the center.
Gaillardia pulchella
An annual species native to the southeastern United States. Plant height from 30 to 60 cm Beautiful yellow-red long flowering inflorescences and unpretentiousness in cultivation were the reason for the creation of magnificent varieties.
Here are some of them:
- ‘Lorenziana Double’. Plant up to 60 cm tall. Luxury Terry inflorescences in the form of a ball of all kinds of warm colors: yellow-orange-red, cream, Burgundy, colorful. Characterized by long flowering from late June to October.
- ‘Sundance Bicolor’. Low-growing and compact bushes that gailardia with original two-tone Terry inflorescences of red-yellow color is perfect for borders and containers.
- ‘Lollipops’. The flowers look like soft balls 6-7 cm in diameter, the colors are either bright yellow or two-color with the addition of dark red. The plant is spreading, 30-35 cm high.
Seed producers offer a huge variety of planting material.
Growing gaillardia
Gailardia – little sun, and they like open Sunny places. Undemanding to the soil, they will suit light and dry, but the humidity is not like that. Often this plant should not be watered, only in dry and hot summer. After watering, loosening is carried out and make sure that there are no weeds.
Sometimes gaylardiya suffering from diseases: powdery mildew, shot hole, rust. In this case, you need to spray the plant with a solution of potassium permanganate or Phytosporin. Can be damaged by thrips, cicadas, meadow bugs. In case of severe pest damage, plants are treated with insecticidal drugs.
Additional fertilizing
To bloom was more lush and long, it is desirable to carry out during the growing season 2-3 feeding complex mineral fertilizer.
The first feeding is given during budding plants, the second-in the midst of flowering, fertilize the third time in August, hoping so that before the first frost remained a month.
In the autumn the aerial parts are cut and sprinkled lightly with compost. In a special shelter gaylardiya not needed. Bushes usually grow in one place to 4-5 years, after they need to dig, divide and transplant, otherwise they begin to bloom worse.
Reproduction perennial gaillardia
Gaillardia perennial is propagated by seed and vegetative means – by division and by cuttings. The easiest way is to dig up an old Bush and divide it into several parts. This can be done in the spring, as soon as the first sprouts, or in August – September. New delenki must be large enough, otherwise they will grow very slowly.
Seeds gailardia propagated in the spring. They are sown directly into the ground or cold greenhouses. Shoots appear quickly enough-in two weeks. Care for them is simple: timely watering, mandatory weeding.
Transplantation to a permanent place is carried out in August. Flowering begins in the second year after sowing.
Reproduction annual gailardia
Gaillardia annual sown in early March on seedlings. Their large seeds can be immediately laid out individually in a common container or sown in separate cups, which are placed in a warm place and keep the soil moist in them.
In such conditions, shoots appear very quickly, after which the seedlings are transferred to the lightest and coolest window sill, watered moderately. To seedlings are better developed and not stretched.
On a bed of young plants planted after spring frosts. They are placed in an open Sunny place at a distance of 35-40 cm from each other.
Gaylardiya in garden design
The variety of gaillardia makes a magnificent plant for the garden. Lush bushes with abundant bright colors will look very nice on a green lawn.
You can create a flower bed of different varieties Gilardi – this is just a fireworks display of yellow-red color. In company with other gaillardia daisies make an excellent composition.
Low-growing varieties suitable for front of borders and mixed borders plans, and drought tolerance will allow them to grow on a rocky hill. Garden in containers you can plant annuals gaillardia. Varieties with strong stems are good in the vase life, and even after flowering the fluffy round seedheads adorn the dry bouquets in the floral compositions.
If you plant in your garden gaillardia, it will sparkle with new bright colors, small suns lit the greenery and other colors. Or maybe it is already growing on your site? Tell us what types and varieties gaillardia you grow, the composition of which plants combine them — share with us in comments.