pink is Rosea, yellow could be either Zagreb, moonbeam (which is the thread
leaf variety like the Rosea) or Toto a miniature variety and the variegated
is Tequila Sunrise if it has a gathered flower with reddish center in the
throat. There are two varieties of coreopsis, the thread leaf kind and the
lance leaf larger variety which is also called "tick seed" because the seeds
look like seed ticks......there is a wild variety that is the tick seed and
it grows along side roads and reseeds with happy abandon. the more perennial
varieties are those I spoke of including two new introductions in the thread
leaf world called Sweet dreams which has huge flowers of pinkish edging and
dark burgandy eyes and Limrock Ruby which is all burgandy with huge flowers.
I have discovered the success of all these thread leaf varieties including
the Rosea, Moonbeam, Limrock and Sweet Dreams is excellent drainage. Even to
the point of putting pea gravel in with the soil to make good drainage. The
debate on Limrock and Sweet coming back as perennials depends on the
drainage as they HATE soggy feet in winter. (same as Rosea the parent cross
plant) The Moonbeam is hard as nails and loves heat, but all those thread
leaf varieties can be trimmed up in spring. Allen Armatage insists on it.
He said if you trim the Limrock Ruby, Sweet Dreams and other thread leaf
varieties in spring time after they break dormancy and get about a foot tall
you will have more flowers and a less floppy plant. The lance leaf larger
variety I wouldn't cut back, but allow in the late summer to drop those
spent seedheads to ensure return from daughters in case the plant melts
during winter. Deadheading helps with Tequila Sunrise to make more flowers
about 7 weeks after the first strong flush as it's totally different from
the others as it's varigated. I hope this helps. And before someone flames
me about the Limrock and Sweet and Tequila varieties, I speak from
experience. I HAVE ALL of these plants, lost the thread leaf ones before I
realized I had to give excellent drainage (they also hate rich soil unless
it's real compost), didn't have them return because of the drainage and too
rich soil thing, dead headed the tickseed ones and didn't give opportunity
to reseed, and didn't clean the Tequila one enough to get the second and
third bloom. The newer ones ARE perennial up to zone 4 if you follow the
drainage thing and cutting them back in spring after they're a foot
tall.............
madgardener up on the ridge, back in fairy holler, home from work due to
heat exhaustion and borderline heat stroke yesterday, overlooking English
Mountain in Eastern Tennessee, zone 7, Sunset zone 36
"rosemarie face" wrote in message
...
Hi ! I have 3 Coreopsis plants ( pink , yellow and a variegated
yellow)Their names escape me . Do I have to cut them back in fall or
spring ?? Thanks !
Rosie z5