Digging deeperPlant Library

Sunray Tickseed flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Large Flowered Tickseed, Threadleaf Coreopsis

Description:

Compact plant with double daisy-like yellow flowers ; tolerant of pests and drier soils; thriving in sandy and rocky soils; compact habit is great for pots; coreopsis needs good drainage

Ornamental Features

Sunray Tickseed is smothered in stunning yellow daisy flowers at the ends of the stems from early summer to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its ferny leaves remain emerald green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Sunray Tickseed is an open herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Sunray Tickseed is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Sunray Tickseed will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average conditions that are neither too wet nor too dry, and is very intolerant of standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Sunray Tickseed is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.