Description
The first time I grew plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria), from a single plant sold in a 4-inch pot, I was distinctly underwhelmed. It was spindly and tall—well, until it keeled over just as it started flowering—and overall effect was sad and messy. I had forgotten about that disappointment when I bought a packet of it this year, and I’m so glad I did! This time, I sowed the seed directly in the garden, which produced a nice-sized patch of stronger plants that wove together to help hold each other up, creating an airy haze of green, topped with a cloud of bright yellow, dark-eyed blooms from midsummer to frost. They did still sprawl a bit after some windy weather—next year, I plan to put some sort of cage around the patch—but the plants didn’t mind at all when I cut them back a bit to tidy them up, reducing the overall height from about 4 feet to 3 feet and encouraging even more flowers to form.
Despite their height, the plants are open enough to allow nearby plants to get light too, making them a great choice for filling space between developing perennials and shrubs for the first year or two, while you’re waiting for a border to fill in. Plains coreopsis is also known as dyer’s (or dyers’) coreopsis, because the flowers can be used to make a yellow, orange, or red dye. This sun-loving, western US native is generally grown as an annual, though the plants may live and bloom another year or even two in some sites. Plains coreopsis can also self-sow freely, appearing in the same general area year after year, for a while at least.
Harvested in September and October 2022. At least 25 seeds. Ecotype unknown.
Please read the germination information as well before ordering.
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