Friday, September 21, 2012

An Unusual Coreopsis

Day 219
The Daily DuBrule

A few years ago I discovered an excellent species of Coreopsis for the fall garden. Coreopsis integrifolia has shiny, oval green leaves topped with clear yellow daisies with small brown button eyes. It grows 12-18" tall and spreads by underground stolons but is by no means invasive. It is extremely hardy and looks good all summer long despite rain, drought, and humidity. Best of all, it makes a great cut flower. I plant it right near the front of the border as it will provide good foliage structure in the summer. In the picture above it is intermingled with Eupatorium coelestinum.

Once again I lament the ready availability of this plant in the trade. In the fall, the focus is on mums, mums, and more mums. And asters, they've hit the bit time too, as long as they are not too tall and look good in a pot. But this great plant seems to have dropped off the radar screen of most of my growers. I now have it in two places in my gardens. I can no longer easily specify it for a garden design. I have to wait until I can build up enough stock to propagate it or a wise grower with the ability to multiply and produce this plant in good quantities decides to fall in love with it as I have. 

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