Floridata: Coreopsis verticillata

Welcome (homepage)

Member Pages
Register (free!)
Login

Plant Encyclopedia
Plant List
Plant Tag Lists
Site Search

More Floridata
Resources/Articles
Write Us
About Floridata

Community
Forums
Directories
Members
Businesses
Organizations

Shop
Bookshop
Marketplace

#741 Coreopsis verticillata
Common Names: whorled coreopsis, thread-leaved tickseed, thread leaf coreopsis, pot-of-gold
Family: Asteraceae/Compositae (aster/daisy Family)

Get link to this Profile or click for data record #741

Bees like to visit the bright yellow flowers of Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb'.

Description
Thread leaf coreopsis is a bushy, yet elegant, much-branched perennial with three-parted threadlike leaves arranged in opposite pairs or in whorls of three. The foliage looks a little like that of cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus). Thread leaf coreopsis gets about 3 ft (0.9 m) tall and 2 ft (0.6 m) wide, and spreads slowly by thin underground stems (rhizomes). Flower heads are about 2 in (5.1 cm) across, and both disc florets and ray florets are yellow. Flowers are produced abundantly in loose, open clusters on thin, wiry stems in early summer until first frost. 'Moonbeam', probably the most popular cultivar, gets about 2 ft (0.6 m) tall and has smaller light yellow flowerheads about 1 in (2.5 cm) across, produced abundantly on a mound of lacy foliage. It was chosen by the Perennial Plant Association as the 1992 Perennial Plant of the Year. 'Zagreb' is smaller, to 12 in (30.5 cm) tall, with golden yellow flowerheads, and is even more resistant to drought than other selections

Location
Thread leaf coreopsis grows naturally in the southeastern United States from Maryland and Virginia to West Virginia, Tennessee and Arkansas, and south to northern Florida. It occurs in dry, thin woods and open pinelands.

This planting of the variety 'Zagreb' is tough enough to easily survive this dry, semi-shaded location near the street

Culture
Divide the root crown every third year to maintain vigor and deadhead frequently to encourage more flowering. Rabbits may eat young plants.
Light: Full sun.
Moisture: Drought tolerant.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5 - 10.
Propagation: Propagate the perennial coreopsis species by dividing the rhizomatous root crown in winter or early spring. Seeds germinate in 2-3 weeks and thread leaf coreopsis sometimes will self-sow.

The variety 'Moonbeam' has soft pastel yellow flowers.

Usage
Use thread leaf coreopsis in perennial beds and borders, and in naturalistic or wildflower gardens. Even when not in bloom, thread leaf coreopsis stands out with its beautiful lacy foliage. Flowers last for several days in water, making thread leaf coreopsis especially desirable for cut flower arrangements. Honeybees and butterflies appreciate the copious nectar produced by these pretty yellow daisies.

Features
Thread leaf coreopsis is very tolerant of drought, poor soils, heat and neglect, and will flatter you with happy yellow flowers all summer long even if you don't deserve them!

There are about 80 species of Coreopsis occurring in North and South America. The name derives from the Greek for bug, and alludes to the ticklike shape of the fruit.

Steve Christman 7/12/00; updated 11/18/03, 12/19/07

Copyright 1996 - 2008 Floridata.com LC Tallahassee, Florida USA

NEW at Floridata

Plant Profiles:

Click here for a slideshow of Floridata's latest Plant Profiles of 2008.

Articles: