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Annual · Asteraceae

Plains coreopsis

Coreopsis tinctoria

In other languages: Meisjesogen (Nederlands) · Coréopsis des teinturiers (Français)

Plains coreopsis, Coreopsis tinctoria, is an annual from the prairies of North America, where it grows in great drifts along roadsides and in dry hollows. From July to September, hundreds of small flowers dance on thin, branching stems with fine leaves: golden yellow with a dark red-brown centre, or entirely dark red. It is very easy to sow, tolerates drought and poor soil, and attracts bees and butterflies. The flowers were once used to dye wool yellow, orange and reddish brown, hence the name tinctoria.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Full sun
warm and bright
Moisture
Dry to normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Sand or loam
any pH
Hardiness
down to -5 °C
protect in harsh winters
Size
0.6 m
tall, 0.3 m wide
Flowering
July–September

Key facts
Pruning months	July–August
Height	0.6 m
Native to Belgium	No, planted
Good for bees, butterflies and birds	Yes, for bees and butterflies
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous
Flowering	July–September

Identify

Plains coreopsis: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Airy, branching annual 40–60 cm tall and 30 cm wide.
Leaf: Finely divided, narrow and light green, mainly low on the stem.
Flower: Flower heads 2–4 cm across, golden yellow with a dark red-brown ring and centre, or entirely red-brown; the petals have toothed tips.
Flowering: From July to September, from late June if sown early.
Seed: Small, dark, slightly curved seeds that look like ticks, hence the name tickseed.

Flowering: July–September · Sowing: March–May · Plants: May · Pruning: July–August

In your garden

Why grow it?

A cloud of cheerful, two-coloured flowers from July to September.
Very easy to sow where it is to flower, even for beginners.
Tolerates drought and poor soil.
Attracts bees, hoverflies and butterflies.
An airy cut flower, and an old dye plant.

Plains coreopsis: where does it grow best?

Full sun.
Poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil: sand or light loam.
Dry to average; copes well with drought.
In a wildflower meadow, a sunny border, a gravel garden or a pot.
On rich soil the stems become floppy and fall over.

Light: Sun
Soil type: Sand or loam
Acidity: Not fussy
Moisture: Dry or normal
Size: 0.6 m tall, 0.3 m wide
Hardiness: Tolerates light frost (to -5 °C)

Goes well with

Cornflower: Blue next to the golden yellow in a flower meadow.
Cosmos: Another airy annual from the same family.
Ornamental grass: Fine stems that dance along with the flowers.
Corn poppy: Red in a summer flower meadow.
Verbena bonariensis: Airy purple flowers in between.

Maintenance

Plains coreopsis: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May.

Sow in place in April–May, or plant out seedlings raised earlier in May.
Loosen the soil to a fine tilth, but do not feed.
Space plants 20–30 cm apart.
Water until they are established.
Sow in groups or mix the seed with other annuals for a flower meadow.

Care

Water: Only in long dry spells; regularly in a pot.
Feeding: Do not: rich soil gives floppy stems and fewer flowers.
Deadheading: Remove faded flowers for longer flowering; leave the last ones for seed.
Support: In a windy spot, push a few twiggy sticks between the plants.
Pinching: Pinching out young plants gives a bushier, sturdier plant.

Tip: Sow it on the poorest, driest patch of your garden: that is exactly where it stays upright and flowers most freely.

Plains coreopsis: when to prune it?

Pruning months: July–August.

When: During flowering, in July–August.

How:

Regularly cut off faded flowers, down to the next bud.
After a first flush you can cut the plant back by a third for a second display.
In September let the last flowers go to seed if you want to collect seed.

Caution: Do not cut everything back at once in a dry spell: the plant struggles to recover.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Sowing: In March–April indoors at 18–20 °C, or in April–May outdoors where it is to flower. Seed germinates in 1–2 weeks; barely cover it, as it needs light.
Self-sowing: Let a few flowers set seed: in an open, sunny spot it often self-sows.

Plains coreopsis: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −5 °C: protect in harsh winters.

An annual that dies with the first hard frost.
Tolerates a light night frost down to about −5 °C.
Clear the plants in October–November or leave them for birds that eat the seeds.
Store your own seed dry and cool for next year.

Diseases and pests

Flopping stems: Soil that is too rich or too much shade. Sow on poor soil in full sun.
Powdery mildew: A white coating on the leaves in late summer. Do not sow too densely and water at the base.
Slugs: Can eat young seedlings; protect them for the first few weeks.

Through the year

March: Sow indoors at 18–20 °C.
April: Sow indoors or outdoors in place.
May: Sow outdoors. Plant out seedlings raised earlier.
June: Pinch out young plants. Add support if needed.
July: Start of flowering. Deadhead.
August: Full flower. Bees and butterflies.
September: Last flowers. Collect seed.
October: Clear plants or leave them for the birds.

Use

Good for wildlife

Bees: Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.
Butterflies: Nectar for butterflies.

You and this species

Did you know?

When dyeing wool or silk, the flowers give yellow, orange and reddish brown, depending on the mordant.
Coreopsis means ‘like a bug’: the seeds look like small insects.

Garden plants · All species