Common Name: tickseed
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 2.00 to 2.50 feet
Spread: 1.50 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to September
Bloom Description: Yellow to red rays
Sun: Full sun
Water: 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.
Plants have excellent winter hardiness to USDA Zone 4.
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.
‘Redshift’ is a clump-forming hybrid coreopsis that grows on sturdy stems to 30-36" tall. It is noted for its profuse bloom of 2" diameter flowers from late spring to mid-summer, with continued bloom to early fall (sometimes to frost). No two flowers are identical. Temperature affects flower color. In the heat of the summer, flowers generally feature creamy yellow rays with a red ring surrounding a dark golden yellow center. As temperatures begin to moderate, flower color shifts to more reds (hence the cultivar name of 'Redshift') with the yellow rays often showing red streaking. In the cooler temperatures of fall, flowers feature mostly dark red rays. 'Redshift' is the second coreopsis to be released in the new Big Bang Series (the first was Coreopsis 'Full Moon'). Elliptic green leaves (to 3" long). Plants in the genus Coreopsis are sometimes commonly called tickseed in reference to the resemblance of the seeds to ticks. U.S. Plant Patent Applied For (PPAF).
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.