Coreopsis californica: Country Or Region Of Origin
California, Arizona, and Mexico
Plant Profile: Coreopsis californica
Taxonomy: Coreopsis californicaNames
Annual Coreopsis, California Tickseed, Coreopsis, Tickseed
Phonetic Spelling:kor-ee-OP-sis kal-ih-FOR-nik-uh
Genus:Coreopsis
Species:californica
Family:Asteraceae
California Tickseed is a yearly wildflower indigenous to California, Arizona, and Mexico, typically thriving in washes, plains, and hillsides at elevations under 4,000 feet. This plant forms clumps and showcases vibrant yellow flowers resembling daisies, featuring both ray and disc florets. Its slender leaves emerge from the base, while the reddish, leafless stems bear the bright yellow blooms from February through May. It flourishes in desert environments and requires full sunlight.
Coreopsis californica Feature Summary
Coreopsis californica Image Gallery
Tags
#yellow flowers
#borders
#naturalized area
#annual herb
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#non-toxic for cats
#desert plant
#winter annual
#sun
Similar Plants
Coreopsis californica Feature Summary
Attributes
California, Arizona, and Mexico
Annual
Fruit
The oval tan fruit is a cypsela but often called an achene
Achene
Cream/Tan
Summer
Flowers
1-inch wide yellow ray flowers with yellow disk flower centers grow singly atop the reddish stems. The ray petals have a notched tip. There are 8 yellow pointed bracts at the base of the flower and 8 green bracts below those.
Gold/Yellow
Head
Solitary
Spring
Winter
more than 20 petals/rays
Radial
< 1 inch
Leaves
The leaves are 1-4 inches long, narrow and cylindrical, growing only at the base, in a dense cluster and may be divided into a few lobes.
Green
Simple
Rosulate
Linear
Entire
Lobed
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Stem
Leafless green to reddish stems
Green
Red/Burgundy
Smooth (glabrous)
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Sand
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Rock Garden
Border
Drought
Dry Soil
Poor Soil
Naturalized Area
Coreopsis californica Image Gallery
Coreopsis californica Attributes
Coreopsis californica: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Coreopsis californica: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Coreopsis californica Fruit
Coreopsis californica: Fruit Description
The oval tan fruit is a cypsela but often called an achene
Coreopsis californica: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Coreopsis californica: Fruit Color
Cream/Tan
Coreopsis californica: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Coreopsis californica Flowers
Coreopsis californica: Flower Description
1-inch wide yellow ray flowers with yellow disk flower centers grow singly atop the reddish stems. The ray petals have a notched tip. There are 8 yellow pointed bracts at the base of the flower and 8 green bracts below those.
Coreopsis californica: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Coreopsis californica: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Coreopsis californica: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Coreopsis californica: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Coreopsis californica: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Coreopsis californica: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Coreopsis californica: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Coreopsis californica Leaves
Coreopsis californica: Leaf Description
The leaves are 1-4 inches long, narrow and cylindrical, growing only at the base, in a dense cluster and may be divided into a few lobes.
Coreopsis californica: Leaf Color
Green
Coreopsis californica: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Coreopsis californica: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Coreopsis californica: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Coreopsis californica: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Coreopsis californica: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Coreopsis californica: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Coreopsis californica: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Coreopsis californica Stem
Coreopsis californica: Stem Description
Leafless green to reddish stems
Coreopsis californica: Stem Color
Green
Red/Burgundy
Coreopsis californica: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Coreopsis californica: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Coreopsis californica Whole Plant Traits
Coreopsis californica: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Coreopsis californica: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Coreopsis californica: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Coreopsis californica: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Coreopsis californica: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Coreopsis californica Cultural Conditions
Coreopsis californica: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Coreopsis californica: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Coreopsis californica: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Coreopsis californica Landscape
Coreopsis californica: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Coreopsis californica: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Coreopsis californica: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Coreopsis californica: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
