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Coreopsis
Coreopsis
Also called tickseed
Coreopsis blooms from June through September.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Coreopsis
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–9. Expect it to reach about 2 ft tall and 1.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Coreopsis
Plant Coreopsis in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 9 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from June to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
Comes in 11 varieties across 4 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Coreopsis
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
The showy color cultivars can feed pollinators less well than the plain species. For a pollinator garden, choose the straight species or a close selection. per Xerces
Lifespan varies by species
Big-flowered types (large-flower, lanceleaf, downy) are short-lived: divide every 2 to 3 years or let some self-seed. Threadleaf is a long-lived, reliable clump. per NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden
Shear for a fall rebloom
Deadhead through summer to prolong bloom, then shear the whole plant back after the first flush for a strong fall rebloom and less self-seeding. per NC State
Wants lean, well-drained soil
Prefers lean, well-drained ground, even poor sandy or rocky soil. Rich, moist soil makes it sprawl and flop; wet, poorly drained soil invites crown rot. per NC State
Deer and rabbit resistant
Reported resistant to deer, and to rabbits for threadleaf types; very hungry wildlife may still sample it. per NC State
Powdery mildew, usually cosmetic
Generally trouble-free. Powdery mildew is the main issue, worst on threadleaf and hybrid cultivars and usually cosmetic; good air circulation is the main defense. per NC State
What pairs well with Coreopsis
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Rock Cress
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Goldenrod
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Sea Thrift
Shares full sun and low water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; both offer pollinator forage.
Lilac
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 9.8 ft, for the layer behind it.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 6.6 ft, for the layer behind it.
Crocus
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 4 in, for the front of the border.
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Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.