I’m Reliable and Beautiful

Perennial of the Week: Coreopsis – ‘Tickseed’

Dependable, colorful Coreopsis has a place in nearly every garden. Many species are native to the Eastern United States. Some varieties remain small and compact, making them excellent in the foreground of the garden or as a border. Other forms of Coreopsis can reach four feet or more in height!

Zagreb, a Threadleaf Coreopsis, features thin, feathery leaves and small, brightly-colored golden-yellow flowers. In contrast, C. grandiflora makes a grand entrance with two-and-a-half foot tall plants and blossoms that stretch to two inches wide. “Tequila Sunrise,” a grandiflora hybrid, features green and yellow variegated foliage with yellow-orange flowers.

Regardless of its height, Coreopsis craves sunshine, provides multiple weeks of blooms, and is generally low-maintenance and easy to grow. A light trimming or “haircut” following the first round of flowers will stimulate the plants to flower again. Many varieties make excellent cut flowers. These forgiving plants thrive — and some reseed — in multiple types of soil and environmental conditions, making Coreopsis ideal for beginning gardeners. Coreopsis is also considered deer resistant.

Throughout the Americas, there are 75 to 80 known species of Coreopsis. The popular sunny yellow varieties may be the best known, but additional types of Coreopsis sport pink, red, and bicolor flowers that are reminiscent of Daisies. Intensive breeding over the past 10 years has led to an enormous palette of colors along with excellent cold hardiness and disease resistance. “Big Bang”™ is an excellent series that includes “Mercury Rising,” a cherry red variety; “Full Moon,” a variety that reaches 36” tall with bright Canary yellow flowers 3” across; and “Star Cluster,” a white variety with a red eye. These varieties are currently being grown right here at the nursery, as are Tequila Sunrise, Zagreb, Red Shift, Show Stopper, and Ruby Frost. They’re easy to spot in our Rohsler’s Grown pots.

This summer, add some new colorful and exciting Rohsler’s Grown Coreopsis to your butterfly garden, or to plantings that include Yarrow, Veronica, Echinacea, or Salvia — among others.