Wisconsin Native Coreopsis
|
|
Coreopsis is a common plant that has been grown for centuries. It’s a tough,
drought-tolerant plant with a long flowering season. Coreopsis is great for attracting
bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
|
Coreopsis, also called Tickseed, has rapidly grown in popularity. They are dependable,
long-blooming flowers and some species can attract a diversity (if not an abundance) of pollinators.
Beekeepers consider all Coreopsis species to be good honey sources. In the past, some American Indian
tribes applied boiled Coreopsis seeds to painful areas of their bodies in order to relieve ailments such as
rheumatism.” The common name is shared by a wide range of plants that have seeds that easily attach to
skin or clothing of passersby.
Coreopsis is best suited for low-care perennial that attracts a number of specialist pollinators. An
inexpensive option for large scale restoration projects that allows other perennials time to establish.
You will need to prepare the soil. Tickseed prefers well-drained soil that is slightly acidic, so
you may need to add a bit of compost or soil amendment to achieve this.
Once the soil is prepared, you can then plant the seeds directly into the soil. Be sure to space the
seeds out evenly, as they will need room to grow.
After the seeds are planted, all you need to do is keep the soil moist and wait for them to germinate.
Depending on the variety, this can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
If you already have tickseed and would like to grow more, you can divide a mature plant. This is
best done when a perennial plant has begun decreasing the amount of blooms it produces.
Perennial tickseed only lasts about five years, so this would be a good time to divide mature
plants. Dig up the mature plant using a trowel, even through the roots.
Cultivars of Native Coreopsis
Coreopsis has rapidly grown in popularity with many cultivars showing up in wild colors at
nurseries across the U.S. These wildflowers are not necessarily pollinator magnets,
and the breeding of native species for color variation may lead to plants that are even less
attractive to pollinators.
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Height: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 4-9
Soil: Sandy, Rocky
Moisture: Medium
Color: Yellow
Tall Coreopsis
Height: 2-8 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 3-8
Soil : Loam, Sandy, Rocky
Moisture: Dry
Color: Yellow
Rose Coreopsis
Height: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Sun: Full Sun,Part Sun
Zones: 5-8
Soil: Loam, Sandy, Rocky
Moisture: Medium, Moist
Color: Pink
Stiff Coreopsis
Height: 2-3 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 3-8
Soil: Loam, Sand, Rocky
Moisture: Medium, Dry
Color: Yellow
Downy Tickseed
Height: 2-4 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 6-9
Soil: Sandy, Loam, Rocky
Moisture: Medium, Dry
Color: Yellow
Large-flowered Tickseed
Height: 1.5-2.5 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 4-9
Soil: Sand, Rocky
Moisture: Medium, Dry
Color: Yellow
Plains Coreopsis
Height: 2-4 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 2-11
Soil: Loam, Rocky, Sandy
Moisture: Medium, Dry
Color: Yellow, Red
Threadleaf Coreopsis
Height: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 3-9
Soil: Loam, Sandy, Rocky
Moisture: Medium, Moist, Wet
Color: Pink