Hands in the Dirt: Blanket Flower

Article and photo by Donna Iverson

Blanket flower, with its colorful orange and yellow disk-shaped flowers, is one of the longest lasting summer blooms. A native of North America, this wildflower blooms from July through September and even into October.

Also called Indian blanket flower, it often produces a single flower on each two-foot hairy gray-green stalk. It is named Indian blanket as it resembles the vibrant coloring of Native American woven blankets, of yellow, orange and red.  

Blanket flower is both heat and drought resistant and tolerates sandy poor soil. It is often found in disturbed areas. It would make a great addition to a wildflower, native plant, meadow, pollinator, or xeriscape garden.

A member of the aster family, it produces hundreds of seeds which can be collected in late fall when they turn brown. The plant also readily self-sows. Gardeners do not need to deadhead this plant to keep it flowering. It should be cut back to about 6 inches high in winter.

Blanket flower likes full sun and attracts numerous pollinators such as butterflies, bee, and hummingbirds. An annual, it is the state flower of Oklahoma. In flower symbolism, it represents joy, happiness, resilience and protection. 
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Medicinally, it has been used in the past to treat stomach problems and inflammation of the skin. Today, it is being studied for its antibacterial and anticancer properties.