Gaillardia is a perennial grown for its yellow blooms, which open in spring and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 4 through 10 and shrugs off deer. Its spring flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Zones
4-10
pH Range
5.5-7.9
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Gaillardia on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether gaillardia actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score gaillardia against your land's real conditions.
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What Gaillardia is
Gaillardia grows as a perennial and reaches around 2.5 feet at maturity. It blooms yellow in spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Gaillardia
Gaillardia grows in USDA zones 4 through 10. Gaillardia does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7.9. It needs a growing season of at least 100 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
4-10
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 7.9
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
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Drainage
Data pending
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Frost Tolerance
-33°F
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Mature Height
2.5 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
100+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant gaillardia in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Gaillardia prefers pH 5.5 to 7.9 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Harvest at its peak
Cut gaillardia blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — gaillardia isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Gaillardia is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Gaillardia thrives
Gaillardia is hardy across USDA zones 4 through 10. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 4–10·Where Gaillardia growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Gaillardia can grow in these states:
See if Gaillardia will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether gaillardia actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Gaillardia in my zone?
Gaillardia grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 10 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Gaillardia?
Most growers plant gaillardia after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 100-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Gaillardia need?
Gaillardia needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Gaillardia need?
Gaillardia prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7.9 (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Gaillardia attract pollinators?
Yes — gaillardia's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Gaillardia safe for pets?
Gaillardia is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.