This week: Coreopsis for Every Garden
Hello!
Coreopsis (also called Tickseed) is an unassuming garden workhorse. It blooms from June through August, and once the blooms slow down, you can deadhead or shear it to encourage more growth. It attracts beneficial insects and songbirds, and also looks great in flower bouquets.
The best part? Coreopsis is easily found in nearly every store that sells plants or seeds—it’s a native as ubiquitous as Purple Coneflowers and Black-Eyed Susans. Here are five that can fit into any sunny to partly sunny garden.
Largeflower Tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora)
It is easy to find this Coreopsis in a seed packet, and it is just as easy to grow. Cultivars are numerous and sold in pots with colors ranging from dark red to yellow. Stick to conventional yellows and oranges for pollinators.
Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Lanceleaf Coreopsis is also easy to grow from seed. Grow this plant for its flowers, which are nearly two inches in diameter and abundant. Like Coreopsis grandiflora, this plant typically grows to around two feet tall.
Pink Tickseed (Coreopsis rosea)
Pink Tickseed is native to just a few states along the East Coast. Its small stature, delicate foliage, and tiny pink flowers make it a popular choice in home gardens.
Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)
The common name says it all — this Coreopsis is very tall. It grows to seven feet tall and is the perfect choice for a meadow or the back of a garden.
Threadleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)
Threadleaf Coreopsis resembles Pink Tickseed, except it is yellow. ‘Zagreb,’ pictured, is a highly rated cultivar for home gardens according to Mt. Cuba Center’s Coreopsis trial.
Elsewhere:
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Try to stay cool,
Julie