Hot and dry is what the sight of this flower announces to the observer. Gardeners will notice the resemblance to the domesticated Gaillardia which can be found in any nursery.

Fire Wheel (Gaillardia pulchella), a member of the sunflower family, blooms most of the summer throughout the southwest. It has been described as having high drought tolerance thriving best in hot, dry climates in full sun. Ironically, the Fire Wheel is very common along the coastal regions of Texas.

This flower has a plethora of aliases including Rose-ring Gaillardia, Indian Blanket, Sundance, Blanket Flower, Bandana Daisy, and Rosering Blanket Flower to name a few.

Legend has it that Aztec women decorated their hair with the blooms. When Cortez came, the land was drenched with blood and the flower caught the blood of victims as they fell.

Other interesting facts: The Fire Wheel is the official state flower of Oklahoma. The "official" name, according to Oklahoma, is Indian Blanket. It takes 150,000 seeds to make a pound.