Calliopsis Coreopsis tinctoria
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Calliopsis bicolor
- Phonetic Spelling
- kor-ee-OP-sis tink-TOR-ee-uh
- Description
-
Coreopsis tinctoria is a showy wildflower with a long bloom-time (summer through frost). It is native to the south-central US, but it has naturalized elsewhere, including North Carolina.
It prefers light, sandy soil but is tolerant of poor soil, drought, and heat and is commonly found in dry fields, roadsides, waste places, and pastures. It requires good drainage and should be watered lightly as it does not tolerate 'wet feet'. Resistant to deer browsing and heat.
It is a great plant for sunny, hard-to-water areas. It will self-seed to any open, bare ground. Remove faded flowers to prevent excessive self-seeding and promote reblooming. This is a good cut flower and is particularly attractive in mass plantings as it does best when crowded.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Mahogany Midget'
very dwarf (8 to 12” tall) plants with 2” wide deep red flowers with yellow centers. - Mahogany Midget
Compact plant with dark red flowers - 'Mardi Gras'
very dwarf (8” tall) variety with colorful flowers. Petals are deep red with yellow tips, and the flowers have yellow centers. C - 'Seashells'
Golden yellow flowers with tubular petals that resemble seashells. - 'Tiger'
Dark red flowers with a yellow, exotic-looking pattern on petals.
- 'Mahogany Midget'
- 'Mahogany Midget', Mahogany Midget, 'Mardi Gras', 'Seashells', 'Tiger'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Mahogany Midget'
very dwarf (8 to 12” tall) plants with 2” wide deep red flowers with yellow centers. - Mahogany Midget
Compact plant with dark red flowers - 'Mardi Gras'
very dwarf (8” tall) variety with colorful flowers. Petals are deep red with yellow tips, and the flowers have yellow centers. C - 'Seashells'
Golden yellow flowers with tubular petals that resemble seashells. - 'Tiger'
Dark red flowers with a yellow, exotic-looking pattern on petals.
- 'Mahogany Midget'
- 'Mahogany Midget', Mahogany Midget, 'Mardi Gras', 'Seashells', 'Tiger'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Coreopsis
- Species:
- tinctoria
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Amerindians used root tea for diarrhea and as an emetic. Flowers boiled in water used as a tea to strengthen the blood and for internal pains and bleeding. It was also used as a source of yellow and red dyes.
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada to Eastern Mexico.
- Distribution:
- naturalized through most of US excluding Nevada, Utah and New Hampshire
- Wildlife Value:
- Source of nectar for pollinators, including long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, and beetles. The leaf beetle, Calligrapha californica, feeds on the foliage.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- small, flattened, single winged black achene less than 1/8 inch in size with linear to oblong shape and smooth surface.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Notched, yellow petals with reddish-brown color at base; reddish-purple disks
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- opposite, highly dissected pinnately compound leaves with linear segments
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Humidity
- Poor Soil
