Common Name: tickseed
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 1.50 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 1.50 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to September
Bloom Description: Yellow with red eye ring
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy
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.
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.
‘Route 66’ is a verticillata-type variety of coreopsis. It features threadleaf green foliage on plants rising to 24-28" tall. Daisy-like, bright yellow flowers (1-2” diameter) with a sizeable red eye ring bloom from early summer into fall. Red from the eye ring irregularly bleeds into the yellow. The location and size of the red pigmentation varies (sometimes significantly) from flower to flower. Palmately 3-parted green leaves with thread-like segments lend a fine-textured and airy appearance to the plant. 'Route 66' was discovered in 2005 growing in the garden of Patti Bauer of Bauer's Forever Flowers in Lucinda, Pennsylvania. U.S. Plant Patent Applied For (PPAF). Plants in the genus Coreopsis are sometimes commonly called tickseed in reference to the resemblance of the seeds to ticks.
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.