Coreopsis tripteris

Tall coreopsis’ yellow blooms are like an expression of joy at reaching the sunlight above the other tall plants of the prairie. With elegantly divided leaves and a slender form, tall coreopsis has a graceful appearance that belies its tough nature. Indeed, this robust plant is one of the few wildflowers that can hold its own against perennial grasses. Wherever it grows, tall coreopsis brings out the pollinators, attracting bees, wasps, butterflies, skippers, flies, and beetles.

Inhabiting wet to dry prairies and open woods, tall coreopsis is a versatile plant in the home garden, tolerating a wide range of conditions. It will be taller and more robust in consistently moist soil under full sun, but it can handle drier soil and partial shade. Tall coreopsis has good drought tolerance, especially after it has become established.

Spreading by long underground stems, tall coreopsis has a habit of popping up in unexpected places. For this reason, the plant is best utilized in a prairie-style garden, as opposed to one where space is maintained between plantings. Tall coreopsis may lean in moist soils, especially when there is little competition from surrounding plants. Cutting the plant to half its height in early June will cause it to be more upright at maturity, with a shorter, more branched form. Tall coreopsis is not palatable to deer and rabbits once it has grown in, but in the springtime, the new seedlings may be browsed.

Tall coreopsis’ sunny flowers with their dark centers are a lovely late-summer sight. For a pretty trio, plant with hollow Joe Pye and tall ironweed.

References: 1,2,3,4.

Photos by Ashley Keesling.