Gaillardia, Arizona Sun - Trio of 3 plants

Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' is a blazing little firework of a blanket flower that turns heads and stops traffic—delivering non-stop explosions of bold, bicolor daisy-like blooms that scream summer fiesta. Imagine radiant fiery red centers bursting into glowing orange-yellow petal tips, each 3-4 inch flower looking like a miniature desert sunset painted with reckless abandon. The petals are slightly ruffled, adding texture and depth, while the central cones glow golden before maturing to rich mahogany, creating a hypnotic hot-to-cool gradient that shifts beautifully in the light. Deadheading? Optional—these prolific beauties keep pumping out fresh blooms on sturdy stems, carpeting the plant in vibrant color from early summer straight through fall, often outlasting everything else in the border like it's got something to prove.

Butterflies flock to them in droves, dancing from flower to flower in a pollinator rave, while bees buzz in for the easy-access nectar. This compact powerhouse demands full sun (partial shade tolerated but expect a dimmer fireworks display), forming a tidy mound 8-12 inches tall and 12-18 inches wide—perfect for containers, front-of-border punch, or massed for a sizzling carpet effect. Heat-loving, drought-tolerant once established (practically thriving on neglect during Indiana's scorching spells), and deer-resistant, it's the low-maintenance diva that delivers maximum drama without the tantrums. In zone 6a Indiana, this hardy perennial (zones 3-10) brings reliable, sun-soaked swagger year after year—who needs a vacation when your garden looks this hot?