June 19, 2012

Earlier this spring we bought a package of Mixed Cut Flower seeds and we thought it would be fun, and interesting, to grow them and then identify the plant when it blossomed; this one, though, had us stumped. 


Today, I placed the above photo on a gardening forum asking for help in identifying the plant, and within a few minutes I received a response: Plains Corepsis.


As I had never seen or heard of this plant I did an online search, and this is what I found regarding this plant: 


"One of North America's best-loved annuals, Plains Coreopsis is also one of the easiest to grow. Plant spring or fall, and you'll soon see thin thread-like plants with shiny green stems and very small leaves. Once the seedlings are about 12" tall or so, perfectly round, brown-colored buds will appear, and soon you'll have the beautiful sprays of small butter yellow flowers with dark red centers. This species is great for cutting, each stem adding a whole flush of small flowers to any arrangement, but don't cut them all. Plains coreopsis is perhaps the very best native annual for reseeding. Which means even though the plants may die with frost, others will probably sprout in their places next spring. A great species, the official state wildflower of Florida.  A slender, 1-2 ft. annual with pinnately-compound foliage, tickseed is known for its small but abundant yellow flowers, painted maroon near the center. Numerous smooth, slightly angled branches bearing showy, daisy-like flower heads with yellow rays surrounding a reddish-purple central disk. The yellow petals are notch-tipped. Flower heads occur on long stalks from the multi-branching stems.
This prevailingly western annual has escaped from cultivation in the East. It is widespread in the West and the South in disturbed areas, such as moist ditches. Because of its showiness, the flower is cultivated extensively, hence its common name."