Plant library · Perennial Flowers
Coreopsis grandiflora
Tickseed brings clear yellow, daisy-like flowers on wiry stems to sunny planting schemes from early through late summer. At about 2 feet tall and wide, it makes a light, clumping presence rather than a dense screen. Use it where its long flowering season can carry a border after spring displays fade, while leaving enough surrounding space for the mound to read as an individual plant.
Place tickseed in the sunny middle of a border, behind low edging plants and in front of taller perennials or shrubs. It also suits rock gardens, naturalized areas, and broad drifts where repeated clumps can make a more legible band of summer color. Keep it off the very edge of a narrow path: its stems and flowers need a little setback so the planting remains easy to pass and deadhead.[1][2]
Set plants 18 inches apart, center to center, for a joined planting that fills in quickly. Each clump can reach about 2 feet across, so allow the outer growth to mingle rather than treating the spacing distance as empty space. In a small bed, use a staggered layout and reserve a reachable edge from a path or open side for routine trimming and cleanup.
Give tickseed a full-sun position with well-drained soil, especially in the drier part of the garden. It is well suited to sandy, rocky, or otherwise lean ground that does not stay wet around the crown. Avoid low pockets, heavy sites without drainage, and places that receive regular overflow from irrigation, downspouts, or paved surfaces.[1][2]
Flowering runs from early summer into late summer. Remove spent flower stems as the display progresses to encourage continued bloom and keep the border looking deliberate. If the foliage sprawls later in summer, cutting it back can restore a cleaner outline; leave enough nearby access to do that without stepping into adjacent plants.[1][2]
Treat tickseed as a perennial feature in USDA Zones 4 through 9, but avoid relying on a single clump as a permanent structural anchor. Plants can be short-lived, and self-sown seedlings may appear nearby when spent flowers are left in place. In formal beds, maintain a clear planting boundary and plan occasional division or replacement to preserve the intended pattern.[1][2]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.