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Plants that fill a similar niche:
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Form and flowers
Chrysojasminum fruticans Plant
Coreopsis latifolia Form

Coreopsis Coreopsis californica

Other Common Name(s):

Other plants called Coreopsis:

Previously known as:

  • Coreopsis californica subsp. californica
  • Coreopsis californica subsp. newberryi
  • Coreopsis californica var. californica
  • Coreopsis californica var. newberryi (
  • Leptosyne californica
Phonetic Spelling
kor-ee-OP-sis kal-ih-FOR-nik-uh
Description

California Tickseed is an annual wildflower native to California, Arizona, and Mexico and is found in washes, plains and hillsides, below 4,000 feet.  It is clump-forming with bright yellow daisy-like flowers that have both ray and disc florets. The narrow leaves grow at the base and the reddish leafless stems are topped with the yellow flowers from February to May. They grow in desert conditions and full sun.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#yellow flowers#border planting#naturalized area#annual herb#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#desert plant#winter annual
 
Form
Form Jarek Tuszyński CC BY-SA 3.0
flowers and stems
Flowers and stems joedecruyenaere CC-BY-SA 2.0
Close up of flower
Close up of flower Matthew Salkiewicz CC BY-NC 4.0
Leaves
Leaves Matthew Salkiewicz CC BY-NC 4.0
Back of flower
Back of flower Fred Melgert CC BY-NC 4.0
Native habitat
Native habitat Tom Chester CC BY-NC 4.0
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#yellow flowers#border planting#naturalized area#annual herb#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#desert plant#winter annual
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Coreopsis
    Species:
    californica
    Family:
    Asteraceae
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    California, Arizona, and Mexico
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Wildflower
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Erect
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Fine
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Sand
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Cream/Tan
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Achene
    Fruit Description:
    The oval tan fruit is a cypsela but often called an achene
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Head
    Solitary
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Winter
    Flower Shape:
    Radial
    Flower Petals:
    more than 20 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    1-inch wide yellow ray flowers with yellow disk flower centers grow singly atop the reddish stems. The ray petals have a notched tip. There are 8 yellow pointed bracts at the base of the flower and 8 green bracts below those.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Rosulate
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    The leaves are 1-4 inches long, narrow and cylindrical, growing only at the base, in a dense cluster and may be divided into a few lobes.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Smooth (glabrous)
    Stem Description:
    Leafless green to reddish stems
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Naturalized Area
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Poor Soil