Large-flowered tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora 'Domino')
Coreopsis grandiflora 'Domino' offers showy yellow blooms with maroon eyes, thriving in sun and dry soil. Low maintenance Large-flowered tickseed.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’, or Large-flowered tickseed, is a highly valued addition to sunny borders due to its profuse flowering and adaptability. This compact cultivar provides bright yellow, daisy-like flowers, distinctly marked with maroon centers, ensuring continuous color from early summer through mid-summer. Gardeners appreciate this plant for its resilience, especially its tolerance for heat and poor soil conditions.
As a tough herbaceous perennial, Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ performs best when provided with full sun and well-drained media. Its ability to handle dry spells once established makes it an excellent choice for xeriscaping or low-water gardens. The constant display of blooms on the compact Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ makes it an indispensable workhorse in the perennial landscape.
The common name, tickseed, references the seed shape, which resembles a tick, though the primary appeal remains its vibrant floral display. Deadheading spent blooms on this Large-flowered tickseed will significantly extend the primary bloom time, maximizing its low-maintenance contribution to the garden scheme.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Asteraceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1-1.5 ft
- Spread: 1-1.5 ft
- Bloom Time: June to August
- Bloom Description: Yellow with maroon eye
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Dry to medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Planting Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ is best achieved in spring or fall, ensuring the location provides full sun exposure. This plant thrives in well-drained soil and is notably tolerant of poor media, including sandy or rocky compositions. Good drainage is critical, as poor soil moisture management can quickly lead to crown rot, a significant cultural issue.
Maintenance for this Large-flowered tickseed is generally minimal once established. Water should be provided only as needed—dry to medium moisture levels are preferred. Avoid over-fertilizing, as rich soil can encourage excessive, floppy foliage rather than robust flowering.
Prompt deadheading of spent flower stalks is the main cultural task. Removing faded blooms encourages abundant re-bloom throughout the season and controls its tendency to freely self-seed, which can sometimes cause the plant to act as a temporary garden weed. Plants are relatively short-lived, so allowing some self-seeding is often necessary to perpetuate the planting.
If the foliage becomes unkempt or sprawls mid-summer, the entire plant can be cut back hard to rejuvenate it. Dividing clumps every 2–3 years is beneficial when growing Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ in formal borders to maintain vigor.
Landscape Uses
The compact stature and drought tolerance of Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ make it highly versatile in landscape design. It is excellent when used near the front of mixed borders, providing a cheerful, bright edge that contrasts well with deeper foliage plants. Its suitability for naturalized areas, meadows, and prairies aligns perfectly with its native origins in open woodland edges and glades.
This resilient selection excels in areas where other plants struggle, particularly those with poor or dry soils. Consider pairing the yellow blooms of this Large-flowered tickseed with softer textures like native grasses or contrasting colors found in plants like Russian Sage or purple coneflowers for striking cottage garden effects.
Do not overlook its application in less manicured settings; planting Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ en masse in naturalized swaths brings easy, sustained color without heavy irrigation demands. It also performs well in cottage gardens, where its rugged nature complements the mixed planting style.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
The genus name Coreopsis refers to seeds resembling ticks, while the specific epithet means large-flowered. The cultivar ‘Domino’ is compact, typically reaching 18” tall, featuring solitary, daisy-like flowers up to 2” wide. These blooms display bright yellow rays accented by dark maroon markings circling the yellow center disk. This Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ is known for its sustained bloom period extending from late spring well into late summer if properly maintained.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Shallow-Rocky Soil
Potential Problems
Foliage health requires attention, as the leaves are susceptible to common fungal issues like powdery mildew, leaf spot, and rust. Ensure good air circulation during planting to reduce humidity around the leaves. Crown rot is a significant threat if the Large-flowered tickseed is situated in heavy, poorly drained soils where water cannot escape quickly.
Because these plants are somewhat short-lived, management must also focus on perpetuating the population through controlled self-seeding or division. Compact varieties like ‘Domino’ are slightly less prone to flopping over than taller Coreopsis grandiflora types, but summer cutting back may still be required if the plant looks straggly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Large-flowered tickseed suitable for?
Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ is suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9.
How large does Large-flowered tickseed grow?
This herbaceous perennial typically reaches a height between 1 and 1.5 feet tall, with a similar spread of 1 to 1.5 feet wide.
What sun exposure does Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ need?
This plant requires full sun exposure to produce the best results and maintain dense growth habits.
When does Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ bloom?
Blooms generally appear from June to August, presenting as yellow flowers with a characteristic maroon eye.
Conclusion
The Large-flowered tickseed cultivar Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’ offers exceptional value through its low maintenance demands and reliable, vibrant summer color. Its tolerance for heat and dry, poor soils makes it a perfect choice for sunny, challenging spots in the landscape where diligence is difficult. Plan your planting schedule now to take advantage of this tough perennial’s long bloom season.
Companion Planting
When integrating this tough perennial, select companions that share its preference for full sun and dry to medium soil conditions. Plants that benefit from excellent drainage, such as Sedums, ornamental grasses like Blue Fescue, or drought-tolerant Salvia varieties, pair beautifully with the bright yellow blooms of Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Domino’. Avoid moisture-loving plants near tickseed, as this increases the risk of fungal issues and crown rot.
Propagation Tips
While the Large-flowered tickseed can be grown successfully from seed, which generally comes true, division is a practical method for maintaining specific established plants. Divide the clumps every few years in early spring before new growth surges to refresh their vigor, especially if the plants are performing in stricter garden settings rather than naturalized areas. The rhizomatous nature of the plant assists in this division process.
