About
Leavenworth’s tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii) is an annual or short-lived perennial wildflower of wet prairies, ditches, and ruderal openings in the southeastern United States, bearing bright yellow ray flowers with dark centers on wiry stems. Height is often 1–3 feet (0.3–1 m). It self-sows enthusiastically in moist sunny sites, making it valuable for rain gardens, bioswale edges, and native meadow mixes in humid subtropical climates. ☀️💧 Sun and Water Requirements: Full sun for dense bloom; light shade reduces flowers. Moist to wet, organic soils match natural ditches; tolerates short dry spells after establishment but sulks on xeric berms. Avoid planting in sealed clay saucers without overflow. ✂️ Propagation: Sow seed in fall or early spring; self-sown volunteers often outperform fussy trays. Thin dense carpets if airflow becomes a mildew invitation. Cut back spent stalks if you dislike the brown phase—leave some for seed if you want free reruns. 🌾 Harvest / Best Use Timing: Peak bloom tracks warm wet season—plan pollinator tours then. Collect dry seed heads for sharing with ethical local genotype notes. Leave late heads for finches if winter mess is acceptable.
Permaculture Functions
- Pollinator: Bright composites attract bees and butterflies during warm-season flushes.
- Ornamental: Cheerful yellow along wet edges without thirsty annual imports.
- Wildlife Attractor: Seeds feed birds; flowers support generalized pollinators.
- Erosion Control: Fibrous roots help stabilize moist ditch banks when massed.
Practitioner Notes
- Ditch beauty is still beauty—design bioswales like you mean public art.
- Genotype matters near natural populations—source local seed when restoring.
- Annual years happen—do not mourn short life if offspring already RSVP’d.
- Yellow reads loud—pair with blue lobelia upstream where moisture overlaps.
Companion Planting
- Florida Paintbrush — complementary late-season forb color in sandy-wet ecotones
- Gulf Muhly — warm-season grass matrix behind lower forbs on well-drained upper swale
- Dense Blazingstar — taller forb structure where moisture gradients allow mixed meadow design
- Self-seeding excess — edit volunteers if paths and pavers are sacred
- Powdery Mildew — crowded humid pockets without airflow invite foliar ugliness