Characteristics of the coreopsis plant, recommendations for growing lenok in the garden, how to reproduce, protection against pests and diseases, notes for the curious.
Coreopsis (Coreopsis) is often found under the names Lenok or Parisian beauty. The genus includes perennials or annuals, referred by botanists to the Asteraceae family. Today there are up to hundreds of them, which mainly grow in the central and southern regions of America, but only 28 of the species are found in the North American regions. It often happens that some species are included in the genus Bidens and, on the contrary, varieties are transferred from this genus to Coreopsis. All due to the great similarity of characteristics and only 30 species are used as cultural plantings.
| Family name | Astrovye |
| Growth cycle | Perennial or annual |
| Growth form | Herbaceous, rarely subshrub |
| Reproduction type | Seed and vegetative (dividing a bush or rooting cuttings) |
| Transplant time to the garden | Spring, when return frosts will pass |
| Disembarkation scheme | Between young and small seedlings, they stand at least 0.2-0.3 m, and for large specimens 50-60 cm |
| Substrate | Loamy or sandy loam, loose, light and nutritious |
| Indicators of soil acidity, pH | Neutral (6, 5-7) |
| Lighting level | Sunny location or light partial shade |
| Recommended humidity | Watering once a week, in the heat once every 2-3 days |
| Special Requirements | Low maintenance |
| Height indicators | 0.4-0.9 m |
| Color of flowers | Reed flowers - yellow, pink or tan, cream, tubular - yellow, gold or brown |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Baskets |
| Flowering time | From June to the first frost |
| Decorative period | Summer-autumn |
| Places of application | Landscaping of curbs, as group plantings, in rockeries or stone gardens |
| USDA zone | 4–8 |
The scientific name of this ornamental plant comes from the fusion of two Latin words "koris" and "ofic", which translates as "bug" and "species", respectively. This is because the ripening achenes are like these unsightly insects. But there are many other synonymous names among the people, such as: golden chamomile and girlish eyes, lenok and Parisian beauty. All because of the delicate color of the petals in the flowers.
All types of coreopsis are rhizome plants with a herbaceous form of growth, occasionally they can grow in the form of semi-shrubs. The stems are erect, have good branching, which creates an openwork outlines of the bush. Lenoks rarely exceed 40–90 cm in height, but there are specimens reaching 1, 2 m.
The foliage on the twigs grows in the opposite order. They are mainly concentrated at the base of the shoot or are located in its lower part. The leaf plate has a pinnate dissection or is finger-divided. The outlines of leaflets are narrowed or lanceolate. The leaf lobes are painted in a rich bright or dark green hue.
When flowering, inflorescences are formed in the form of baskets, like all members of the Astera family. Inflorescences are crowned with elongated flowering stems. The inflorescences are composed of inner tubular flowers and outer ones - ligulate (marginal). The color of the inner small flowers of a rich dark yellow or brown color scheme, the marginal ones delight the eye with pink, yellow, crimson, terracotta or brown-yellow tones. In this case, it happens that there is a burgundy tone at the base, contrasting with the general background of the petal. There are four pairs of reed flowers. The diameter of the opened inflorescence is 3–6 cm. Today, some decorative forms have a double structure of the inflorescence and its variegated color.
Flowers begin to open from the first days of summer, and the process stretches until the first frost. There are usually a lot of flowers on the bush. After the insects carry out pollination, the seeds ripen, which in coreopsis have the shape of bedbugs. Their shape is flat, the size is small. The seeds inside them are so small that there are up to 500 of them in 1 gram. Seed contours are rounded.
Recommendations for growing coreopsis - planting and care in the open field
- Choosing a place for planting lenok. Since the plant in nature prefers open areas, it is also recommended to choose a place in the garden where the plant will be provided with a bright sun. This will have a good effect on its subsequent growth and flowering. If the location is shaded, the shoots of the "Parisian beauty" will become too elongated. Light partial shade may be needed only as an exception for the varieties of Coreopsis verticillata and Coreopsis rosea and their varieties.
- Priming for planting coreopsis it should be light, with average nutritional parameters, with neutral acidity (pH 6, 5–7). You can use sandy loam or loamy soil. If the land on the site is very heavy, then you will have to mix river sand into it, when the soil is depleted, then compost is added to it. So on a bucket of soil it is necessary to add 15–20 g of complex mineral fertilizer (for example, Kemiri-Universal in granules).
- Planting coreopsis. The seedlings of the Parisian beauty are transferred to the open ground in May, when there will be no return frosts. At the same time, it is recommended to leave at least 0, 2–0, 3 m between plants, and for large specimens 50–60 cm, since later the bushes can grow. It is important to lay a drainage layer in the hole, which serves as protection against waterlogging of the root system. Before planting, it is recommended to mix the soil with organic fertilizers (for example, rotted manure). Such feeding per 1 m2 will require up to 30-40 kg. After the seedling is installed in the hole, it will also be necessary to place a support in it in the case of growing tall specimens. In its capacity, wooden or iron stakes can act, to which the shoots will subsequently be tied. After that, the hole is filled to the top with soil mixture, which is then slightly crushed and watered.
- Watering coreopsis. Although the plant is drought-resistant, it is recommended to water it once a week, but if the weather is very hot in the spring-summer period, and there has been no precipitation for a long time, then watering is performed once every 2-3 days. However, it is still better to focus on the state of the topsoil, if it is dry and cracked, then moisture will be needed. A little water is needed so as not to cause waterlogging of the soil. If the variety has a pink or red shade of petals, then water the plants more often.
- Fertilizers. When growing coreopsis on poor soil, it is necessary to carry out top dressing in the spring-summer period using complex mineral preparations (for example, Fertiku or Kemiru-Universal). The drug is used 17.5 grams per bucket of water, which is irrigated.
- General tips for caring for golden chamomile. When the main flowering process comes to an end, it is recommended to trim the stems of the bush by 1/4 in height using garden shears, and the hemp that remains must be shortened additionally. Coreopsis bushes are fed and then re-flowering can be expected. With the arrival of November, all the stems on which the inflorescences have already grown peppers must be cut to the ground.
- Coreopsis in landscape design. Since the flowering of the Parisian beauty is bright, abundant and long-lasting, it is recommended to arrange flower beds and group plantings with the help of such plants. If a variety with tall shoots is grown, then it is planted in prefabricated flower beds, on the far edge. You can place such plantings on the southern side of fences and fences, next to tree and shrub garden plantings. When growing low-growing species of coreopsis, you can place them on a flower garden in the front part, arrange borders or group phytocompositions. Such plants look great in street vases or garden containers, balcony boxes, which do not exceed 0.2 m in depth. It is noted that the transplantation of such lenoks is possible even in the midst of flowering. It is only required to dig a bush without destroying the earthen coma, and thoroughly water the hole before placing the Parisian beauty in it. Different types of coreopsis with different stem heights are good for decorating flower beds, mixborders, and annual varieties (annuals) are suitable for growing as a pot culture, perennials are preferably planted in open ground. Golden chamomile inflorescences behave well in cutting, as they remain fresh for 7-10 days.
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How to propagate coreopsis?
In order to get new bushes of the Parisian beauty, seed and vegetative propagation methods are used.
- Seed reproduction of coreopsis. This method is good for both annual and perennial varieties. Annual seeds can be sown directly into the soil (before winter) so that they undergo natural stratification in the winter months, or sowed in early March, placing crops in greenhouse conditions. For planting in seedling boxes, a peat-sand soil mixture is used, into which the seeds of golden chamomile are slightly pressed with a plank. A piece of glass is placed on top of a container with crops or wrapped in plastic wrap. The container is placed in a shaded place and the temperature is maintained in the range of 20-24 degrees. With such care, daily airing of the crops will be required and, if necessary, spraying of the soil that is drying out from above. When lenok sprouts appear (after 10 days), the shelter is removed, and the seedling box is placed in a well-lit place. After a pair of true leaves is formed on the seedlings, it is time to dive into individual small pots. It can be transplanted into another seedling box, but maintain a distance of about 2 cm between the seedlings. In this care, it is very important not to flood the substrate, as young plants can undergo black leg disease when the stem base rots and coreopsis die. Transplanting into open ground is carried out only with the arrival of May, when return frosts recede. But before that, you need to start hardening the seedlings in a week - containers with plants are taken out into the open air during the day for 15–20 minutes, gradually increasing this time until it reaches around the clock. The same rules for sowing seeds are true when growing seedlings of perennial varieties of golden chamomile. The obtained seedlings bloom a year later from the moment of sowing. Often sowing is carried out in April directly into the soil, but then flowering will take longer.
- Reproduction of coreopsis by dividing the bush. Since the bushes can fall apart over time, it is worth dividing them periodically - once every 5–6 years. This operation is recommended to be carried out in the spring (if the cultivation is carried out in cold regions) or in the fall, so that the lenok cuttings have time to adapt to the winter. The division is timed to October or March. An adult lenok bush is dug around the perimeter and removed from the ground with a garden pitchfork. The root system is cut into pieces with a sharpened knife. The strips are not made too small, each of them must have a sufficient number of root processes and several stems. All cuts are sprinkled with crushed charcoal, and the cut is immediately planted on a prepared place on a flower bed. Such plants will begin to bloom in the year of planting, if it is spring or already in the next growing season.
- Coreopsis cuttings. In order to propagate the Parisian beauty with the help of cuttings, it is necessary to prepare the twigs in the spring. Cuttings are cut from the shoots, about 8-10 cm long. They are planted in pots filled with peat-sandy substrate. After planting, the cuttings are watered, and a cut plastic bottle (without a bottom) is placed on top. It is recommended, by unscrewing the bottle cap, to air the seedlings daily, and if the soil begins to dry out, then it is watered. Transplanting seedlings into the garden is possible at the end of spring after their successful rooting.
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Protecting coreopsis in the garden from pests and diseases
The plant is not very capricious when leaving, but it is important not to violate the rules of agricultural technology. Problems can arise from the wrong choice of a planting site or flooding of soil during irrigation. Then diseases are possible from the onset of putrefactive processes. Among the diseases that arise during exposure, fungi are distinguished:
- Powdery mildew, in which spider-like whitish spots appear on the foliage, then the leaves turn yellow and fly around.
- Rust provoking spots of brown color and drying out sheets.
- Fusarium, the symptoms of which are yellowing of the leaves, then they acquire a brown color and curl.
If manifestations of fungal diseases are noticed on the coreopsis, then it is recommended to remove all affected parts, and treat the plant with fungicidal preparations (for example, Fundazol or Topsin-M).
It happens that a Parisian beauty falls prey to a viral infection when the tops of the stems curl up, taking the form of a tube. However, there is no cure for such a misfortune, and all infected bushes will have to be dug up and burned, and the soil should be treated with potassium permanganate.
Among the harmful insects that damage coreopsis bushes, aphids occupy a leading position. It is easy to distinguish it, since all the stems and leaves begin to cover with small green bugs, leaving behind a sticky bloom - pad (product of the vital activity of pests). If you do not take measures to eliminate harmful insects during the time, then this sticky substance can provoke the appearance of a sooty fungus. For treatment, it is necessary to spray with insecticidal preparations, such as Aktara, Actellik or Fitoverm.
It happens that some beetles or slugs can eat the leaves of the lenok, then you have to manually collect pests and also treat the bushes with insecticides.
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Notes for the curious about the coreopsis flower
It is known that Coreopsis is officially recognized as a plant in the American state of Florida. And also, thanks to its cheerful color of inflorescences, coreopsis is able to fight the manifestations of depression, is a symbol of friendliness and joy. Since the petals in the flowers are of a rich yellow hue, the golden chamomile is associated with the Sun, it is believed that the plant obeys the fire element. It is recommended to grow the plantings of the Parisian beauty to bring not only good luck into life, but also to begin with a light strip in it.
Types of coreopsis
Coreopsis tinctoria
- the most common variety in the United States and in the foothills of the plateaus in the United States and Canada, as well as in the states in the south. In those places, it can grow along the sides of roads and fields, it can grow in the sun and in light shade. Annual with herbaceous growth. The height of the stems can vary in the range of 0.3–1 m. The shoots are thin with branching. The growth rate is high. The foliage is pinnately divided, with a pointed tip. The color of the leaves is green, the length can be 10–60 mm and the width is 5–25 mm.
At the tops of the stems, inflorescences-baskets flaunt with bright yellow reed flowers and burgundy - tubular. When opened, the flower reaches 3-5 cm. The surface of the petals is corrugated. Bloom - from mid-summer to October.
The fruit is a small achene with thin outlines. The entire aerial part dies off after flowering. Seeds germinate in autumn, wintering takes place in the form of a root rosette or with the arrival of March.
The most common varieties are considered to be:
- Roulette - characterized by decorative yellow stripes on dark red petals.
- Calypso - has single flowers, golden hue, there is a red spot in the center of the petals.
- Baden Gold, Mayfield Giant, Sunburst They are high in size, large inflorescences with yellow petals.
- Sunray and Early Sunrise bushes of compact size (not exceeding 0.5 m) with double inflorescences.
- Sun Dancer (Sundancer) the owner of dwarf sizes, the height of the shoots reaches only 0.3 m.
Coreopsis drummondii
It is represented by a semi-shrub, the stems of which do not exceed 0.4–0.6 m. During flowering, which falls in mid-summer, the tops of the shoots are decorated with flowers with bright yellow petals and a red-brown speck in the central part.
Coreopsis ferulifolia
is included for today in the genus Chereda and bears the name Bidense or A series of golden (Bidens aurea). The inflorescences are golden in color.
Coreopsis lanceolata (Coreopsis lanceolata)
It is represented by a perennial with a herbaceous form of growth, the height of which is 0, 1–0, 3 m, but some specimens with shoots reach 60 cm. Leaf plates with petioles, their outlines are lanceolate or almost linear. A smooth narrowing goes to the top. Width parameters 5–12 cm with a length of 8–15 cm (sometimes 18 cm). It happens that they are characterized by 1–2 lateral (lateral) lobes. The color of the flowers is yellow, the diameter of the inflorescence is 1.5-3 cm. The length of the petals in it is 8-12 mm, the tubular ones are located on a disc with a diameter of 6-7.5 mm. The shade of the reed flowers is golden yellow, they do not exceed 3 cm in length, tubular. Flowering stretches from March to late summer, this period depends on the growing area.
The most popular varieties are:
- Golden Queen - with a shoot height of 0.5-0.6 m, the diameter of the inflorescence is about 6 cm, the color is golden yellow.
- Robin (Rotkelchen) differs in large flowers, which reach 5 cm in diameter. The marginal flowers are yellow, tubular - red.
- Gold ink or Goldfink considered a bush of dwarf parameters not exceeding 0.3 m.
Coreopsis verticillata (Coreopsis verticillata)
has an upright stem with very strong branching. It is densely covered with leaves, shaped like needles, as they have a carved shape. The foliage is bright green. Flowering begins in mid-July and lasts up to 70 days. The resulting inflorescences are yellow and radial petals. The diameter of the inflorescence is 3 cm. The shape of the petals of the reed flowers is narrowed, the core is lush and bright yellow.
The most popular varieties:
- Zagreb characterized by a shoot height of 0.3 m, and golden inflorescences.
- Moonbeam the height is only 0.3 m, the color of the flowers is pale yellow or cream.
- Rising Mercury (Mercury Rising). In height, its shoots do not exceed 0.4 m, and inflorescences with dark cherry marginal flowers and yellow - tubular.
- Golden Shower famous for inflorescences of golden-yellow color, shoots vary in height in the range of 60-75 cm. If you cut after the first wave of flowering, the branches grow perfectly.
Coreopsis pink (Coreopsis rosea)
A perennial plant with a height of about 0.4 m, but the diameter of the bush is from 0.5 to 0.75 m. The needle-like foliage is bright green. The flowers are simple, small with a diameter of only 2 cm. The color of the petals is pale pink, the inflorescences bloom from mid to late summer. The best varieties are recognized:
- Sweet Dreams flaunts with inflorescences, in which the petals are dark pink with a white border, the tubular flowers are yellow.
- Heaven's Gate does not go beyond 0, 2–0, 4 m, the color of the inflorescences is pink-purple.
Also, gardeners love to grow a highly decorative species. Ear coreopsis (Coreopsis auriculata) and its varieties.
Read also about the types of acroclinum
Video about growing coreopsis:
