Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)
Tall Coreopsis is quite a statement plant! This plant comes in around 7 feet tall and provides some late-season yellow blooms. It attracts lots of native bees, butterflies, and skippers (illinoiswildflower.info) and is the host to 17 specialist bees (Johnson and Colla, 2023). It is also the host plant to 6 species of moths (nwf.org). Tall Coreopsis can be very vigorous and may not be suitable for small landscape plantings.
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height: 7 feet
Plant Spacing: 3-4 feet
Bloom Time: July-October
Bloom Color: Yellow
Advantages: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer Resistant
Host Plant: 6 species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (nwf.org)
Specialist Bee: Pseudopanurgus albitarsis, P. labrosiformis, P. solidaginis, Melissodes coreopsis, M. boltoniae, M. coloradensis, M. dentiventris, M. illatus, M. subillatus, M. trinodis, Svastra petulca, Dieunomia heteropoda, Megachile parallela, Megachile pugnata, Megachile xyocopoides, Ashmeadiella bucconis, and Osmia coloradensis (Johnson and Colla, 2023)
Complementary Plants: Virginia Mountain Mint, Tall Ironweed, Culver’s Root
Resource: Johnson, Lorraine, and Sheila Colla. A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Upper Midwest. Island Press, 2023
