Early Sunrise coreopsis

Sun

Full sun; flowering and stem strength decline in shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once established, tolerate some dry spells, but water during prolonged drought to sustain flowering.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, loamy or gravelly soil; average to relatively low fertility. Avoid heavy, persistently wet ground, especially in winter.

Height

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Golden-yellow, semi-double daisy flowers from early summer into early autumn, especially with deadheading.

Foliage

Green, narrow to lance-shaped leaves, with some upper leaves divided into narrow lobes. Forms a leafy clump beneath upright flower stems; foliage usually dies back in cold winters but may persist in mild climates.

Growth

Fast; seed-grown plants can flower in their first year.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.4 ft (0.42 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

Canada

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant with the crown at soil level in a sunny spot with free drainage.
• Water at soil level during establishment and prolonged dry weather; let the surface soil dry between waterings.
• Avoid rich feeding; apply a light balanced feed in spring only if growth is weak or soil is very poor.
• Keep mulch clear of the crown, particularly where winters are wet.
• Divide healthy clumps in spring every two to three years to maintain vigour.

Pruning. Remove faded flowers regularly, cutting each stem back to a leaf or side shoot; after the main flush, lightly shear tired flowering stems to encourage fresh growth. Remove dead stems in late winter or early spring without cutting into the living crown.

Early spring

Remove dead stems and check that the crown is firm, healthy and not sitting in wet soil.

Spring

Plant out hardened-off plants after severe frosts; divide established clumps as new growth begins.

Late spring

Water young plants during dry weather and check tender growth for slugs and snails.

Summer

Deadhead regularly and water during prolonged drought to keep flowers coming.

Late summer

Lightly shear exhausted flowering stems if the plant remains vigorous, then water if conditions are dry.

Autumn

Remove diseased foliage and clear fallen debris from around the crown; avoid heavy feeding or moisture-retaining mulch over the plant.

• Plant in groups near the front of a sunny border for a long season of golden-yellow flowers.
• Combine with blue or purple salvias and catmint for strong colour contrast.
• Use among small ornamental grasses in informal, freely drained borders.
• Grow in containers with drainage holes, allowing room for its spreading clump.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, New perennial (prairie), Dry gravel garden, Hot border and Pollinator garden.

Plant it with: Catmint, Perennial salvia, Yarrow, Purple coneflower, Lavender and Prairie dropseed.

Wildlife: Bees and other flower-visiting insects use the blooms, although semi-double flowers generally offer less accessible food than open, single-flowered coreopsis. Seed heads may attract small seed-eating birds if left standing.

• Crown and root rot in wet soil: improve drainage, keep mulch off the crown and replace plants whose crowns have become soft or rotten.
• Powdery mildew: provide good spacing and full sun, avoid drought stress and remove badly affected foliage.
• Slugs and snails on young growth: inspect after dark, remove pests and use wildlife-conscious controls where needed.
• Short lifespan or declining flowering: divide vigorous outer portions in spring and replace plants that fail to recover.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people; no part is recognised as poisonous. It is not a food plant, and eating substantial amounts may cause digestive upset.

• Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)

  Usually has single yellow flowers and mostly undivided leaves clustered toward the base. Early Sunrise has fuller, semi-double flowers and more foliage along the flowering stems;

• Threadleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)

  Has finely divided, threadlike foliage and usually smaller, single flowers, unlike the broader leaves and fuller blooms of Early Sunrise.

Coreopsis comes from Greek words meaning bug-like, referring to the shape of the seeds, while grandiflora means large-flowered.

Propagation. Sow seed in spring, following the packet's temperature instructions; this cultivar is commonly raised from seed, though saved seed may produce variable offspring. Divide healthy clumps in spring to retain the parent plant's characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Coreopsis grandiflora

Native range

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Maine.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.