Coreopsis grandiflora CoreopsisPerennial with yellow...

Coreopsis grandiflora Coreopsis

Perennial with yellow flowers.

Next to gaillardia, this is the most dependable flower in my garden. It never disappears entirely: After being reduced to a small rubble of leaves over winter, in the spring coreopsis comes alive again, spreading out and up and bearing bright golden-yellow flowers. Coreopsis enhances bouquets all summer and well into autumn. If the dead flower heads are diligently removed, the plant will bloom as late as November.

Sunburst is perhaps the most familiar, with its larger (about 2 1/2-inch) double blooms that resemble a small cosmos. It grows at least 2 feet high, usually 3. There are two dwarf species as well: Coreopsis lanceolata Sunray, about 8 inches tall with double blooms, and Coreopsis Auriculata Nana, which grows only 6 inches high and can actually be mowed. These are both nice for a low border but not so desirable if you want cut flowers with long stems.

Calliopsis is the annual version of coreopsis; it has smaller yellow flowers with pretty dark red centers, but calliopsis seems to need much more water and attention than its perennial cousin, and for this reason it has not survived my benign neglect.

Coreopsis will survive drought and neglect, but it won’t flourish. As the water diminishes, the flower stems get shorter and the blooms decrease in number and size. Where once there were tall, graceful beauties, there may be only shriveled stumps. Nature is trying to get your attention.

Members of the sunflower family, all varieties of coreopsis are easily grown from seed--so easily that established plants will often reseed themselves with no encouragement from the gardener.