Common Name: tickseed
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 1.50 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 1.50 feet
Bloom Time: June to August
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy, Good Cut
Attracts: Butterflies
Tolerate: Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Easily grown in dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerant of heat, humidity and some drought. Plants may be sheared in mid to late summer to promote a fall rebloom and to remove any sprawling or unkempt foliage. Plants may spread by rhizomes. Clumps may be divided in spring. When grown in borders or other formal garden areas, division may be needed every 2-3 years to maintain robustness.
Hardiness and longevity of hybrid coreopsis depends greatly on parentage, and ranges from hardy, fully perennial selections to half-hardy or tender perennials more often grown as annuals.
'Sunray' freely self-seeds, but new plants may vary in appearance because this cultivar does not reliably come true from seed. Best to propagate 'Sunray' vegetatively.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Coreopsis is a genus of between 75-80 species from North America, Mexico, Central and South America.
The genus name comes from the Greek words koris meaning "bug" and opsis meaning "like" in reference to the shape of the seed which resembles a bug or tick.
'Sunray' is a coreopsis cultivar which features solitary, yellow, daisy-like, double flowers (to 2" diameter) atop slender, erect stems rising to 24" tall. Flowers typically bloom from late spring to late summer and sometimes well into fall, though bloom period can be much shorter if spent flowers are not regularly deadheaded. Spatulate to lanceolate leaves. Lower basal leaves are mostly entire, while smaller stem leaves are often pinnately lobed. Plants in the genus Coreopsis are sometimes commonly called tickseed in reference to the resemblance of the seeds to ticks. 1980 Fleuroselect Award winner.
Problems
Crown rot may occur if grown in moist, poorly drained soils. Uncommon diseases include botrytis, aster yellows, powdery mildew and fungal spots. Plant stems tend to sprawl, particularly in hot and humid climates with periodic heavy summer rainfall. Deer tend to avoid this plant.
Uses
Border fronts. Sidewalk edgings. Also effective in naturalized areas, wild gardens or cottage gardens. Good plant for areas with poor, dry soils. Patio containers.