Editor’s note: Once a month OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers in Franklin County profile a plant that occurs naturally in central Ohio.
Tall coreopsis, ( Coreopsis tripteris ), is a beautiful native plant and a symbol of summer in Ohio.
This herbaceous perennial is easily grown from seed and one of the few flowers mostly known by its scientific name.
The height and spread of this variety of coreopsis help to distinguish it from its relatives. As the common name suggests, tall coreopsis can reach heights of 8 feet or more, with a vase-shaped spread ranging from 2 to 8 feet.
It’s native to parts of Canada and Eastern North America, spreading south and westward to parts of Texas. Its wide range can be partly attributed to its general robustness and sprawling growth habits utilizing its prevalent seed dropping and rhizomes.
This plant can be colony forming and aggressive under ideal conditions. It can handle dry to moist soils. Soil quality will directly reflect growth rates, with dry soils yielding shorter plants.