Coreopsis: Take a Chance on Me

As I was preparing to write this column on Coreopsis, the catchy

tune, from the Swedish group ABBA, “Take a Chance on Me” was

humming through my head. Well, I thought, gardeners are always taking a chance on new plants and little did I know, when I first took a chance on sowing a packet of Coreopsis “Early Sunrise” in my

basement plant room, about the mid-90s, that its bright yellow, semi-

double blooms would become one of the most hardy and carefree

perennials in my garden. The fact that it was an All-American

Selection winner comes as no surprise. Early Sunrise forms a dense

compact clump with broad leaves. It self-seeds and has supplied me

with many replacement plants to either give away or to transplant to

other beds. Early Sunrise makes a lovely arrangement in a vase when combined with ribbon grass.

Coreopsis “Moonbeam” is another perennial coreopsis that I

purchased and planted in another area. It was chosen as Perennial of the Year in 1992. This plant has dense, needle-like foliage and a mounding habit. Its flowers are small, starry-shaped, light yellow

and long-lasting. In our Zone 3 it is a late spring emerger so

patience is required. This variety of Coreopsis hasn’t been as hardy for me as the Early Sunrise but, in spite of that, it is a lovely

addition to a flower bed.

There are many more varieties of annual and perennial Coreopsis

than the ones that I grow. “Heaven’s Gate” has ruby pink blooms

with a deep red center. “Plains Mix Presto” is naturally dwarf and

compact with golden-yellow, semi-double to double blooms. All of the Coreopsis, both annuals and perennials, are native to North America and Mexico. If you want them to self-sow, stop deadheading about mid-August and let the blossoms go to seed.

The heights of the plants vary by species as do their spread and

bloom times. They are attractive to bees and other pollinators,

butterflies and seed-eating birds. Light preferences are full sun to

light shade. My “Early Sunrise” plants get full sun until about 2

p.m. and light shade after that. On the other hand, “Moonbeam”

gets sun from around 11 a.m. to late afternoon.

In the fall, when frost has killed the foliage, I usually cut the

plants back to the ground. I’ve also left this task until spring with good results. If there isn’t snow on the ground by early December, I mulch the plants with straw.

When spring arrives, I feed them with a small dose of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Clumps that have become too compacted are dug up, the

excess soil shaken off, and the plant is cut into sections with a sharp knife and then replanted.

If you want to start Coreopsis from seed, they need to be started indoors six to eight weeks before the last spring frost date in order to have blossoms the first year. After transplanting, water regularly. Some varieties, after they have become established,

tolerate short, dry periods.

No matter which variety of Coreopsis you might choose for your flower beds, I think you will agree that they were worth taking a

chance on. Happy gardening! Think spring!