The common name for the Coreopsis plant is Tickseed, which means a pot of gold in its literal sense. These plants are native to Prairie and woodlands of North America and are a popular choice for plant breeders due to their colorful blooms and ruggedness. These plants attract a lot of birds, especially Goldfinches. They also attract bees and butterflies. Around 80 species of the Coreopsis plant grow throughout America.
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Features of Coreopsis Plants
This plant is a perennial that grows to a height of 10 to 18 inches typically and is 12 to 24 inches wide. They are low maintenance plants that are drought tolerant and are the ideal choice for a flower border or filler. The flowers are daisy-like and come in many colors ranging from yellow and orange to pink and red. This plant has a moderate growth rate and forms upright clumps.
These plants need full sun exposure to grow and for some varieties, part shade also works. The soil should be well-drained or sandy with a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Summer is the blooming season for this perennial. The USDA hardiness zones are 4 to 9. Some flowers of this plant are bicolor, with a contrasting color in the center which gives this plant a look very pleasing to the eye. These plants are disease-free and easy to grow. They live long and look best in rock and cottage gardens, as well as beds and borders.
Cultivation of Coreopsis Plants
The best choice to get these plants is either to order them from a catalog or to start planting the seed. The hardiness varies species to species. The newer varieties are less hardy than the older ones. Some varieties of these plants can also self-sow and a few might need to be spread by runners. It is ideal to deadhead these plants once in a while since it keeps them blooming and looking healthy. These plants need to be regularly watered until they grow and become established. Once they have matured, they become drought tolerant. The plants should be watered at least once a week initially so that the roots have sufficient water. A warm climate is ideal for the growth of this plant. This plant does not really need to be fertilized regularly if the soil is good enough already. In the case that the soil is not ideal for healthy growth, then the plants need to be fertilized a few times.
Types of Coreopsis Plants
There are many varieties of Coreopsis plants. A few of the popular ones are discussed below.
Coreopsis ‘Desert Coral’
This cultivar is a dwarf perennial and belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is a hybrid species having coral-red flowers in the blooming season which is summer and fall. The foliage color is bright green. Owing to the rapid growth rate, new flowers cover the old ones. This plant is good for containers, small gardens, and borders. The USDA hardiness zones for this plant are 6 to 10. This plant grows up to a height of 9 inches to 1 foot and spread up to 2 feet. Full sun is ideal for the growth of this plant and well-drained medium moisture soil can ensure the healthy growth of this plant. This plant does not need regular watering and is hence a low maintenance plant. It is resistant to deer, rocky soil, dry soil, and drought. It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
Coreopsis ‘Enchanted Eve’
This is a dwarf perennial that grows up to a height of 8 inches to 1 foot and spreads 1 to 2 feet. Its foliage color is green and remains fresh throughout the year. The flower color is an eye-catching yellow with a light burgundy color at the center. This plant is disease resistant and no deadheading is required to make it look healthy and fresh. Its USDA hardiness zones are 5 to 9 and the heat zones are 1 to 9.
The summer season is this plant’s blooming season. Full sun is ideal for healthy growth, alongside average or fertile soil quality. However, this cultivar can also grow well if the soil quality is poor. It is ideal for the soil to have a pH less than or equal to 7. This plant has low water needs and thus is a low maintenance plant. This plant attracts butterflies and bees. It has a medium growth rate and looks best in cottage style gardens or patio style gardens. It is native to North America. The flowers are showy and can be used as cut flowers. Pollinators benefit from this plant greatly.
Coreopsis ‘Jethro Tull’
This perennial is an outward spreading plant and has bright green leaves. It is a genus that has around 80 species from North America, South America, and Mexico. Its blooming season is midsummer and it has bright yellow flowers in this season. It is small in size, growing to a height of only 1 to 2 feet and spreading 1 to 2 feet too. This plant gets its name from the Greek words ‘koris’ meaning a bug and ‘opsis’ meaning the shape that resembles a tick.
It is ideal for beds and borders and small gardens. A lot of the times, this plant is used to make cut flower bouquets that remain fresh throughout. Its USDA hardiness zones are 5 to 9. Full sun is ideal for the growth of this plant. Being a low maintenance plant, it has medium water requirements. It attracts butterflies and is resistant to deer, dry soil and drought. Soils that have medium moisture and are well-drained can ensure the healthy growth of this plant. Reseeding does not occur for this plant. This plant is free of diseases and does not have insect problems.
Coreopsis ‘Jive’
This cultivar is characterized by bright green foliage that has a bushy clump. It grows up to a height of 1 to 2 feet and spreads 1 to 2 feet too. It has very colorful flowers that have white edges and are burgundy in the middle, with an orange center. These are easy to grow plants and can make a garden look very colorful. The USDA hardiness zones for this plant are 2 to 11. Its heat zones are 1 to 8. Full sun can ensure that this plant grows to become really healthy, given that the soil is dry to medium in moisture and is well-drained. It is ideal that the soil is either mildly acidic, neutral or mildly alkaline. It is a low maintenance plant that attracts bees and butterflies. It is a versatile plant that can be put to many uses including beds, borders and cutting gardens. This plant can tolerate deer and is not prone to getting diseased.
Coreopsis ‘Ladybird’
It is a dwarf perennial that has large red flowers that look astounding in the blooming seasons which are early summer, midsummer, late summer, and fall. Its USDA hardiness zones are 5 to 9. It grows to a height of 10 inches to 1 foot and spreads to 1 to 2 feet. This plant grows well in full sun, but partial shade can do too. Dry to medium moisture soils that are well-drained is ideal for the healthy growth of this plant. This is a low maintenance plant with average water needs that looks good in cottage gardens or containers. Its growth rate is really fast and it finishes growing to the fullest in around 6 weeks or lesser. This plant is dormant in the winter season. It is a very hardy plant that is resistant to powdery mildew. The bright green foliage and the vibrant red flowers give a very beautiful look to any garden. This plant is deer resistant and planter friendly.
Coreopsis ‘Limerock Passion’
These rhizomes have ferny foliage of deep green color. The daisy-like flowers are small in size and are typically lavender-pink in color and golden in the center. These pink flowers are tolerant of heat, humidity, and drought and can be put to best use in containers or for edging. The USDA hardiness zones for this plant are 8 and 9. The plant grows up to a height of 1 to 2 feet and spreads 1 to 2 feet too.
A sunny location with moist soil that is neutral, alkaline or acidic can ensure that this plant grows to become healthy. This plant can be taken care of easily since it is a low maintenance plant. It has a medium growth rate and it is best that there is no foot traffic around this plant so that it stays healthy and fresh. Despite the fact that this plant is a perennial, it is the mildest in the winter seasons. This plant attracts a lot of bees and butterflies due to its attractive colors.
Coreopsis ‘Limerock Ruby’
This cultivar is characterized by large daisy flowers that are ruby red in color and are bright golden at the center. The stems are self-supporting the flowers rise way above the dense and ferny foliage. This cultivar can grow up to a height of 1 to 2 feet and spreads the same too. It is hardy in zones 8 and 9. The blooming seasons for this cultivar are early summer, midsummer, late summer, and fall. These look great in containers and can best be used for edging too. The foliage of this plant looks like that of the foliage of the Coreopsis verticillata ‘moonbeam’, but is only slightly wider.
It is a classic American perennial that grows best in full sun and needs well-drained soil with average moisture too. It can be used in borders, mixed beds as well as in patio containers. Tip cutting can ensure that this plant grows to become healthy. In case that the soil type is not very moist, regular fertilizing might be needed to keep the plant growing and healthy. Powdery mildew, Botrytis, and downy mildew can be a bit of a problem for this cultivar.
Coreopsis ‘Mango Punch’
This cultivar is hardy in zones 9 to 10. It is characterized by mango orange flowers with a slight tinge of red and bright green foliage. It is low maintenance and disease-free plant that attracts a lot of butterflies and bees. This plant grows up to a height of 8 inches to 1 foot and spreads 1 to 2 feet. Its blooming seasons are early summer, midsummer, late summer, and fall. It needs full sun exposure and well-drained soil to grow into a healthy plant.
This herbaceous perennial is deer and drought tolerant and looks best in borders, cottage gardens, and rock gardens. Midsummer shearing makes this plant look healthy and fresh all year round. Over a 100 species of this cultivar exist, with many hybrids too. This is a low maintenance plant due to the fact that it does not need to be watered regularly. This plant can survive in winter if it is protected well from hard frosts.
Coreopsis ‘Mercury Rising’
This vigorous perennial is characterized by narrow leaves and velvety red flowers that have a bright golden center. It is hardy in zones 5 to 9 and can grow up to a height of 1 to 2 feet with a spread of 1 to 2 feet too. The bloom times for these plants are early summer, midsummer, late summer, and early fall. This tickseed is deer resistant and looks best in sunny borders and containers. Partial to full sun is ideal for the growth of this plant. This plant grows at a very fast rate and has a mounding growth habit. It is a low maintenance plant that attracts butterflies and bees due to its showy flowers.
These plants are very grower friendly and can make gardens look very beautiful due to their colorful nature. These perennials are super easy to grow and have a variety of uses.