Ptilotus gardneri is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to north-western Australia. It is an erect perennial herb, with linear leaves and oval or cylindrical green spikes of densely arranged flowers.
Ptilotus gardneri is an erect, perennial herb that typically grows to a height of up to . Its stem leaves are oblong to lance-shaped, mostly long and wide. The flowers are usually arranged in solitary, oval or cylindrical spikes up to long and wide on a long, with hairy, coloured bracts mostly long and bracteoles long with a prominent midrib. The outer tepals are long and the inner tepals long. The style is long and s-shaped, fixed to the centre of the ovary. Flowering occurs from April to July and the seeds are dull orange or brown and long.
Ptilotus gardneri was first formally described in 1976 by Gerhard Benl in the journal Nuytsia. The specific epithet (gardneri) honours Charles A. Gardner, "who not only collected many Ptilotus specimens, but also recognized several taxa as new".
Ptilotus gardneri grows on limestone on outcrops and plateaus in the Central Kimberley, Dampierland and Ord Victoria Plain bioregions of Western Australia and the Dampierland, Ord Victoria Plain and Tanami bioregions of the Northern Territory.
This species of Ptilotus is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, and as "data deficient" under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act.