Threadleaf Coreopsis, Tickseed

Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Hardiness: USDA Zones 3 to 9
(Coreopsis verticillata)

One of the easiest perennials to grow. Delicate, daisy-like flowers complement fine-textured green foliage on this herbaceous perennial. Blooms, about the size of a nickel, come in a variety of yellows; breeders have produced pink and red bloom colors too. Tickseed starts flowering in June and lasts through frost; blooms surge throughout the summer and fall. This perennial is a low-maintenance plant, requiring very little care once established. Plant size ranges from 16 to 24 inches tall and 15 to 18 inches wide, depending on cultivar.

How to use it: In masses (use at least three or five plants in a grouping), as a specimen plant or in containers. Use in a mixed perennial border. Good contrast to bold-textured foliage plants, such as canna. Cutflower.

Culture: Prefers a well-drained site and is often easy to grow in less than ideal soils. Plant in full sun to light shade. Can be planted from spring up to a month before a killing frost. Benefits by periodic deadheading and division every three to five years. Propagated through division, seed, or cuttings; some cultivars, like 'Moonbeam', are difficult to propagate through seed. No serious pest or disease problems; can have slugs, snails, and fungal problems, particularly if overwatered.

Special notes: Valued for its low maintenance, yellow blooms all summer long and fine texture. Attracts wildlife, including bees, butterflies and birds.

Selected cultivars: