Onion blanketflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Onion blanketflower |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Gaillardia
|
| Species: |
multiceps
|
The Onion Blanketflower (scientific name: Gaillardia multiceps) is a pretty flowering plant found in North America. It belongs to the sunflower family, which means it's related to sunflowers, daisies, and dandelions!
Contents
Discovering the Onion Blanketflower
Where Does It Live?
This special plant grows naturally in the southwestern parts of the United States. You can find it in states like Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas.
It likes to grow in a specific type of soil called gypseous soil. This kind of soil has a lot of Gypsum, which is a soft mineral. You might even find the Onion Blanketflower growing in sandy areas like sand dunes!
What Does It Look Like?
The Onion Blanketflower is a type of plant called a perennial herb or subshrub. This means it's not a tree, and it lives for more than two years. It can grow up to about 45 cm (18 in) tall.
Unlike some plants where all the leaves grow from the bottom, the Onion Blanketflower has its leaves spread out along its stem. Each flower head grows on its own long stalk, which can be up to 55 cm (22 in) long.
The Flowers
Each flower head is quite colorful! It has about 8 bright red ray flowers around the outside. These are the petal-like parts you see. In the center, there are many tiny disc flowers, usually between 80 and 100 of them. These disc flowers are yellow with purple tips, making the center look very interesting.
