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Native Plant Society of Texas

Lanceleaf Coreopsis

Coreopsis lanceolata

Other common name(s):

Lance-leaved Coreopsis, Lanceleaf Tickseed, Sand Coreopsis

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
2
ft.

Spread

0.5
to
1
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Calcareous, Dry, Gravelly, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Wildlife Benefit

Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Moths

Maintenance

Easy to grow, drought tolerant. A short lived perennial, but it self-seeds readily, and spreads by rhizomes. Give lots of room since it will form colonies, or thin according to garden space. Although it is reported to grow in a variety of light, moisture, and soil conditions, it will tend to get leggy in the shade, and will not grow well in heavy soils with poor drainage. Old blooms can be removed to prolong flowering, or let it go to seed to attract birds and other wildlife. Makes good cut flowers. Can be grown in container gardens. Native habitat: open woodlands, prairie, meadows, pastures.

Description

Blooms March-August, depending on growing conditions. Flower stems grow from a basal rosette. Although, as the name implies, it has lance shaped leaves, some are deeply cut. Leaves. The showy, yellow, daisy-like flowers occur singly at the end of stems. The fruit is a cypsela: a dry, one-seeded fruit, usually topped by pappus. Especially attractive to the Buckeye Butterfly.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Coreopsis crassifolia, Coreopsis heterogyna, Coreopsis lanceolata var. villosa

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=COLA5. 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Coreopsis+lanceolata&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=2648&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt. 6) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 52, 7) Native and Adapted Landscape Plants, City of Austin and Texas A&M, 2014., 8) https://www.centraltexasgardener.org/resource/coreopsis/#:~:text=Lanceolata%20has%20bright%20yellow%20leaves,relatives%20from%20the%20sunflower%20family. 9) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coreopsis_lanceolata, 10) Wasowski, Sally and Andy, 1998, Native Texas Plants, Landscaping Region by Region, pg 184, 11) https://seedsource.com/lanceleaf-coreopsis/

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Bud Division Division should be used on plants that are a couple of years old. Divide the basal rosettes. Carefully dig up the entire plant, leaving the roots as intact as possible. With a sharp trowel or a garden knife, cut the clump into smaller sections. Discard the woody center of the plant. Each of the remaining sections should have several healthy roots. Replant the sections in a sunny location with excellent drainage, at the same depth as the original plant. Keep the new plants well-watered until they are established and show new growth. Best done in winter or early spring. 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=COLA5 2) https://www.thespruce.com/coreopsis-lanceolata-7255292#:~:text=After%20two%20to%20three%20years,established%20and%20show%20new%20growth. 3) https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP058
Seed No Treatment Sown in Spring. Seeds of this species benefit from light and KNO3 enrichment for germination. Nutlets are mature and ready for collection about four weeks after the flowers wither. Watch the inner series of bracts; when they begin to darken, it is time to collect. Remove chaff and store 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=COLA5 2) https://www.fnps.org/assets/pdf/pubs/coreopsis_lanceolata_lanceleaftickseed_3_0.pdf 3) https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP058
Softwood Cutting Take softwood cuttings of the basal rosette. https://www.fnps.org/assets/pdf/pubs/coreopsis_lanceolata_lanceleaftickseed_3_0.pdf
Seed Stratification The seeds require 30 days of cold stratification to break their dormancy. This can be done in two ways. In late winter, sow the seeds outdoors in containers or an outdoor weed-free seedbed. Or you can place the seeds in a sealed plastic bag with a damp paper towel and store them in a refrigerator at 33 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 month before planting them in garden soil or in pots. Plant the seeds about 1/8 inch deep just below the soil surface; they need light to germinate. When the seedlings are 2 inches tall, you can transplant them into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. 1) https://www.thespruce.com/coreopsis-lanceolata-7255292#:~:text=After%20two%20to%20three%20years,established%20and%20show%20new%20growth. 2) https://brightlanegardens.com/native-plants/plant-glossary/native-perennials/lanceleaf-coreopsis-coreopsis-lanceolata/

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason