Tickseed (Coreopsis 'Gold Nugget')

Overview

The Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ variety brings vibrant, continuous color to the summer garden, making it an invaluable addition for both seasoned and novice gardeners. This robust Tickseed hybrid is prized for its prolific display of daisy-like, golden yellow flowers, each accented by a contrasting red eye. It performs exceptionally well in challenging, hotter conditions, offering reliable texture and brightness across the growing season.

This herbaceous perennial forms a tidy mound, maintaining a manageable size perfect for borders and edges. Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ establishes quickly and requires minimal effort once sited correctly, benefiting from full sun and tolerating dry periods once established. It embodies the best traits of Coreopsis genus: toughness, drought tolerance, and extended bloom power.

Gardeners looking for long-lasting impact with low input will appreciate this hybrid. Its cheerful appearance attracts beneficial insects and provides excellent contrast against the typical greens of foundational perennial plantings, solidifying its role as a low-maintenance superstar.

Fast Facts

• Plant Family: Asteraceae
• Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
• Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 6-9
• Size at Maturity:
  • Height: 1.5-2 ft
  • Spread: 2-2.5 ft
• Bloom Time: June to September
• Bloom Description: Yellow with red eye
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Water Needs: Dry to medium
• Maintenance Level: Low

How to Grow

Planting Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ is best accomplished in spring or fall when temperatures are mildest, ensuring the plant can establish a strong root system before summer heat hits. Locate your Tickseed in a position receiving full sun exposure, as insufficient light reduces flowering intensity. It thrives in well-drained soils, needing moisture that ranges from dry to medium; poor drainage is the primary hazard for this plant.

Routine care for this hybrid coreopsis is minimal, reflecting its low maintenance rating. Water should be consistent during establishment, but mature plants are highly drought-tolerant, requiring deep watering only during extended dry spells. Fertilization is rarely necessary; over-fertilizing can lead to excessive, floppy foliage at the expense of blooms.

To maximize the flowering season of Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’, shearing the plant back by one-third in mid to late summer is highly recommended. This light pruning removes spent flower heads and encourages a fresh flush of blooms well into the fall. Plants spreading by rhizomes may require division every few years if planted in formal borders to maintain clump vigor.

Landscape Uses

Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ excels in applications where resilience and consistent color are paramount. Its neat, mounded habit makes it an ideal choice for fronting garden borders, providing a sunny edge along walkways, or defining the perimeter of beds where it won’t overshadow shorter annuals.

For a naturalized look, allow clumps to intermingle with ornamental grasses or other hardy native perennials that share the preference for sun and dry soil conditions. It is also an excellent candidate for mixed patio containers, where its intense golden color provides a cheerful focal point alongside spillers and thrillers. This Tickseed has earned its recommendation for areas struggling with poor, dry soils where many other perennials falter.

Standout Features

Flower Qualities

• Showy

Noteworthy Characteristics

Coreopsis is a genus of between 75-80 species from North America, Mexico, Central and South America, with the genus name derived from Greek words meaning “bug-like” due to seed shape. ‘Gold Nugget’ is a specialized hybrid perennial coreopsis that typically forms a mound reaching 24 inches tall and 30 inches wide. Its signature 1.5-inch, daisy-like golden yellow flowers, beautifully highlighted by a red eye, bloom continuously from late spring through the summer months.

Tolerances

• Deer
• Drought
• Dry Soil

Potential Problems

The most significant threat to Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ is crown rot, which occurs if the plant sits in chronically moist or poorly drained soil. Ensure rapid drainage, especially in humid environments, to prevent this issue. While generally pest-free, watch for potential fungal diseases like powdery mildew or botrytis if air circulation is poor. Stems can sometimes sprawl, particularly during heavy summer rains or in very hot, humid climates; managing this usually involves the mid-season shearing technique mentioned previously to keep the plant tidy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zones is Tickseed suitable for?

Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ is reliably hardy in USDA Zones 6 through 9, making it versatile across a wide range of temperate climates.

How large does Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ grow?

When fully mature, this perennial typically reaches a height of 1.5 to 2 feet and spreads outward between 2 and 2.5 feet wide, forming a compact mound.

What sun exposure does Tickseed need?

This specific Tickseed requires full sun to produce the most abundant display of its yellow and red-eyed flowers.

When does Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ bloom?

You can expect brilliant blooms on Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ from the beginning of June right through September, featuring its classic yellow with red eye coloration.

Conclusion

Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ offers exceptional value through its low-maintenance needs and impressive, extended summer performance, marked by cheerful golden flowers. This durable Tickseed variety is a reliable choice for adding continuous brightness to sunny, dry spots in your landscape. Before planting, confirm your garden falls within USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9 to ensure the best long-term results for your new perennial.

Companion Planting

As Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ thrives in full sun and prefers dry to medium soil moisture, companion plants should share similar cultural requirements to minimize maintenance conflicts. Excellent partners include other drought-tolerant sun-lovers like Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) or ornamental grasses such as Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). For color contrast, pair the bright yellow blooms with deep purples or blues, such as Salvia or Catmint (Nepeta), which tolerate similar bright, dry conditions.

Propagation Tips

While Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ may spread slowly via rhizomes, the most efficient method for maintaining stock or increasing clumps is division. Clumps should be dug up and carefully divided in the early spring before new active growth begins. Ensure each resulting division has a healthy portion of both roots and growing points. Alternatively, if growing from seed is desired, be aware that seed viability and true-to-type traits can vary significantly with named hybrids.