The flowering of large-flowered tickseed is legendary and its sun-yellow flowers add cheerful accents to beds and borders. This is how you plant and care correctly.
Profile of large-flowered tickseed:
Scientific name: Coreopsis grandiflora
Plant family: daisy, composite, sunfloweror or aster family (Asteraceae)
Other names: –
Sowing time: preculture from March
Planting time: spring or autumn
Flowering period: June to October
Location: sunny
Soil quality: sandy to loamy, nutrient rich, humus rich
These information are for temperate climate!
Use in: flower beds, group planting, planters, borders, flower garden, prairie garden, potted garden
Winter hardiness: hardy, USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6 (-20 °C / -5 °F)
Bee and insect friendly:Yes
Plant characteristics and classification of large-flowered tickseed
Plant order, origin and occurrence of large-flowered tickseed
The large-flowered tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora) is one of several garden-worthy species from the genus of calliopsis or tickseed (Coreopsis). Originally this perennial is native to the dry prairies and forests of North America and is therefore a popular species in the creation of a natural prairie garden or steppe bed. The simple star flowers reveal that it belongs to the aster family (Asteraceae).
Characteristics of large-flowered tickseed
Plant
Coreopsis grandiflora forms bushy clumps with upright flower stalks and reaches a height of 40 to 80 centimeters (16 to 32 in).
Leaves
The leaves of large-flowered tickseed are arranged opposite on the stems and are elongated to lanceolate in shape. They are often basal, the upper third of the stems are usually barely or without leaves.
Blossoms
The flowers of large-flowered tickseed appear tirelessly from June to October. Its yellow flower heads nod at the end of the upright stems and consist of a wreath of ray flowers arranged around a center of tubular flowers. In some varieties, the ray flowers around the middle are reddish to brownish in color, some flowers are also semi-double to double. They are considered a valuable pasture for bees and insects.
Fruit
If the pollinated flowers are allowed to ripen, the elongated achenes that are typical of the composites are formed.
Large-flowered tickseed – cultivation and care
Location
Make sure you give the large-flowered tickseed a full sun in the garden.
Soil
Large-flowered tickseed prefers a loose, humus rich, nutrient-rich soil. Heavy, compacted soils are unsuitable because the plant does not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, it is necessary to loosen heavy soils with gravel and sand.
Planting large-flowered tickseed
Ideally, large-flowered tickseed should be planted in spring at a distance of 40 centimeters (16 in) from other plants. In group planting, you calculate about six plants per square meter (10 sq ft.). Poor soils should be enriched with compost to meet the high nutritional needs of the plant.
Watering
With a layer of mulch on the ground, the soil drying out and thus the frequency of watering can be reduced. The large-flowered tickseed does not need a lot of water, but should be protected from drying out, especially in summer. Container plants need to be watered a little more regularly than outdoor plants, ideally in the early morning or evening with rainwater.
Fertilization
As an organic fertilizer, compost is suitable for supply. Due to the long flowering period, the large-flowered tickseed should receive regular gifts of compost in spring and summer.
Pruning
Wilted flowers should be cut out regularly in order to preserve their appearance and to prevent the debilitating seed set. Even if it is difficult: Cut the plants back near the ground towards the end of the flowering period. This saves the flowering perennial energy and it can go into the winter break when fully ripe.
Care
Until the perennial has grown, you should make sure that the soil does not dry out. Taller specimens and varieties with double flowers sometimes prove to be somewhat weak. In this case, Coreopsis grandiflora should be tied to sticks in time or inconspicuously supported with shrub support rings.
Propagation
Coreopsis grandiflora can be propagated by sowing, by cuttings or by division.
By sowing
When sowing, a preculture from March is worthwhile, as you can then usually enjoy flowers in the first year.
By cuttings
To obtain cuttings, the basal shoots are separated in the spring and then rooted in pots with potting soil.
By division
The extraordinary blooming ensures that the perennial is exhausted relatively soon. You should therefore dig them up in spring at least every three years, divide their rhizomes and replant them with fresh soil. This is also suitable to gather new plants for propagation.
Diseases and pests
Unfortunately, snails love large-flowered tickseed. In addition, aphids can occasionally appear en masse and powdery mildew can spread in adverse weather conditions.
Wintering
Large-flowered tickseed is hardy down to -20 °C / -5 °F. If you want to be on the safe side, you can place a layer of mulch, leaves and some brushwood. This also gives nutrients to the plant.
Use in the garden
With its sun-yellow flowers, large-flowered tickseed sets bright accents, especially when used in larger groups. Ideal partners are other prairie perennials such as crimson beebalm, dense blazing star, sneezeweed, purple coneflower, phlox, Russian sage and ornamental grasses. The large-flowered tickseed also unfolds its charm in larger pots.
Varieties
There are numerous, tried and tested varieties of Coreopsis grandiflora:
- ‘Early Sunrise’ has yellow, semi-double flowers and is around 45 centimeters (18 in) high
- The yellow, single-flowered variety ‘Christchurch’ has a compact, up to 50 centimeter (20 in) high growth and is characterized by high vitality
- ‘Sunray’ delights with half-filled yellow flower pom poms and is up to 70 centimeters (28 in) high
Leave a Reply