Zagreb coreopsis

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light shade but flowers less and may become floppy.

Water

Water regularly during establishment. Once rooted, water during prolonged dry spells rather than keeping the soil constantly moist.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, loamy or stony soil; tolerates moderately poor soil and a broad pH range. Avoid waterlogged soil, especially in winter.

Height

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Spread

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m), gradually wider through short rhizomes

Flowers

Golden-yellow daisies from early summer into early autumn, with repeat flowering encouraged by trimming.

Foliage

Fine, deeply divided green leaves give a soft, feathery texture; stems and leaves die back in winter.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

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

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

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

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

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.1 ft (0.32 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.2 ft (0.38 m)

   full size

About 3 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

the US

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water new plants deeply when the root zone starts to dry; established plants need less frequent watering.
• Avoid rich feeding; use a light spring feed only if growth is weak on very poor soil.
• Keep mulch clear of the crown, and avoid thick, moisture-holding mulch on heavy soil.
• Divide crowded clumps every three to four years in spring if flowering declines.
• Remove spreading sections at the edge of the clump if they crowd neighbouring plants.

Pruning. After the main flush of flowers fades, shear back by about one-third to encourage fresh growth and another flush. Cut dead stems near ground level in late winter or early spring, leaving them over winter if you want seedheads and shelter for wildlife.

Early spring

Cut down remaining dead stems before new shoots lengthen.

Spring

Plant in a sunny, well-drained position; divide older, crowded clumps.

Late spring

Check new plants for dry soil and protect emerging shoots from slugs if needed.

Summer

Shear lightly after the main flowering flush and water during prolonged drought.

Autumn

Leave some seedheads standing and remove any diseased foliage.

Winter

Check that water is not collecting around the crown, particularly in heavy soil.

• Plant repeated groups along the front of a sunny border for a low ribbon of yellow.
• Combine with violet-blue salvias or catmint for contrasting flower colours.
• Use among compact ornamental grasses in prairie-style planting for fine texture and summer colour.
• Plant in sunny gravel beds with yarrow and stonecrop, keeping the crown free of wet mulch.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden, Low-maintenance, Dry gravel garden and Midwest prairie.

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

Wildlife: The open flowers attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. Seedheads left standing can provide food for small seed-eating birds.

• Crown or root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised position; discard badly rotted crowns.
• Powdery mildew: allow space for airflow, water at soil level and remove badly affected foliage.
• Slugs and snails on young shoots: inspect emerging growth and use hand removal or locally approved iron-based bait if necessary.
• Floppy stems and fewer flowers in shade or rich soil: move to full sun and stop heavy feeding.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No part is recognised as poisonous, but it is not a food plant and eating substantial amounts may cause stomach upset.

• Moonbeam coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam')

  Has similar fine foliage but pale, creamy-yellow flowers rather than the strong golden yellow of 'Zagreb'.

• Large-flowered tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora)

  Usually has larger flower heads and much broader leaves, rather than the finely divided, threadlike foliage of 'Zagreb'.

• Lanceleaf tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata)

  Has conspicuous lance-shaped leaves, often concentrated near the base, instead of finely divided leaves along bushy stems.

Coreopsis comes from Greek words meaning bug-like, referring to the seeds, while verticillata means whorled, referring to the leaf arrangement.

Propagation. Divide clumps in spring, keeping healthy shoots and roots on each section, or take basal cuttings in spring. Seedlings may differ from 'Zagreb'; use vegetative propagation to keep the cultivar true.

Accepted botanical name

Coreopsis verticillata

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states. Introduced in Canada.

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