This is one tough plant! It's in my "hellstrip" garden, about 12 square feet bordered by 2 concrete driveway aprons, the sidewalk, and the asphalt road. I watered that garden occasionally the first couple of years, and maybe if we hadn't had any rain for a few weeks. It blooms constantly! I hesitate to say "good for xeriscaping," because people think that means no watering ever. Most good xeriscaping plants still need water the first few years while they are establishing roots.

Over the past 15 years, it has gradually spread into quite a large clump. I take divisions regularly (just pull or dig pieces that have bits of root on them, pot them up, and in a few weeks they've filled the pot with roots). It is in a place with excellent drainage, since there are a couple feet of chunky gravel under the soil (from road construction). I've lost other coreopsis varieties, possibly due to wet feet in winter. As you can see from the many photos of this plant, it's very adaptable!

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The Threadleaf Tickseed is native from Maryland to Florida to Arkansas. This is one of the two cultivars that are so commonly planted; the other being 'Moonbeam.' This 'Zagreb' cultivar has bright yellow, darker flowers and is a little shorter than the other cultivar. It has a light, fine textured, airy appearance like the species. It is a tough perennial and drought tolerant, and easy to grow and care for. I have dead-headed this perennial by carefully cutting off the old flowers and very tops with hand shears to ensure more blooming later. It slowly keeps spreading by underground stems and may have to be dug back if it invades where not wanted. The one disadvantage in using this whole species is that strong competition from other plants can lessen its growth or even kill it off, as I had a patch of this along my house that became infested with crabgrass and smartweed and really caused the patch to diminish until I carefully pulled out all the weeds, then it came back well.

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