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Coreopsis

Annual Flower, Wildflower

Also known as Tickseed, Calliopsis, Plains Coreopsis, Annual Coreopsis, Pot of Gold
Coreopsis tinctoria
Asteraceae Family
Synonym: Coreopsis bicolor, Calliopsis tinctoria

Great for wildflower gardens and naturalistic settings, Coreopsis brings prairie charm with airy foliage and brightly colored flowers in shades of yellow, orange and red. Thrives in warm weather and droughty, low-fertility soil.

	Site and Plant Characteristics
	Growing Information
	Varieties

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:

full sun

Soil conditions:

tolerates droughty soil
requires well-drained soil
tolerates low fertility

Special locations:

xeriscapes

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual

Ease-of-care: moderately difficult

Height: 1 to 3 feet

Spread: 0.5 to 1 feet

Bloom time:

late summer
early fall
mid-fall

Flower color:

red
orange
yellow
other

Flowers are mottled with maroon or brown.

Foliage color: dark green

Foliage texture: medium

Shape: upright

Shape in flower: same as above

Special Considerations

Tolerates:

frost
heat

Special characteristics:

aggressive
non-invasive
native to North America - North and Central America

Attracts:

butterflies

Special uses:

cut flowers
direct-seeding

Growing Information

How to plant:

Propagate by seed, cuttings - Sow seeds outdoors in early spring or start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost. Do not cover the seeds, as light aids in germination. Take cuttings from the plant in the spring, or from stem tips during the summer. It may be persistent in the garden as it prolifically self-sows.

Germination temperature: 55 F to 70 F

Days to emergence: 21 to 28

Maintenance and care:

Plants will bloom well when they are crowded. Deadhead or cut back by 1/3 to keep in flower. Discard spent flowerheads to avoid self-sowing. Sow additional seeds every few weeks for succession of bloom. This plant self sows and may be weedy. May require staking.
More growing information: How to Grow Annuals

Varieties

Look for dwarfs and double- or single-flowered varieties and variations in height and flower colors and mottling.
�Mahogany Midget� very dwarf (8 to 12� tall) plants with 2� wide deep red flowers with yellow centers.
�Mardi Gras�: very dwarf (8� tall) variety with colorful flowers. Petals are deep red with yellow tips, and the flowers have yellow centers. Compact and showy.