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Easy-to-grow members of the sunflower family yielding a profusion of yellow, orange, maroon, or reddish flowers. Deadhead for longer bloom; use hedge shears to remove large numbers of spent blooms. Both annual and perennial kinds are easy to propagate—annuals from seed sown in place or in pots, perennials from seed or division. Plants tend to self-sow; seeds attract birds.

The species listed here are from the eastern and southern U.S. unless otherwise noted.

'Limerock Ruby'

Tender perennial grown as an annual. Grows about 1 1/2 ft. tall and 2 1/2 ft. wide; forms a clump of fine-textured foliage similar to that of C. verticillata. Ruby red flowers to 1 in. across appear in late spring through summer. Needs a bit more water than most other types of Coreopsis.

'Nana'

Makes a 5–6-in. high mat of 2–5-in.-long leaves. Under ideal conditions, it will spread by underground runners to form a 2 ft. wide clump in a year. Bright orange-yellow, 1– 2 1/2 -in. flowers rise well above foliage; blooms profusely over a long season (from spring to fall) if you deadhead faithfully. Best used in front of taller plants, in borders, as edging.

'Tequila Sunrise'

To 1 1/2 ft. high, 1 ft. wide. Narrow, olive green leaves are irregularly variegated with cream and yellow, with touches of pinkish red in spring and deeper red in fall. Golden yellow, 1 1/2 -in. flowers with deep orange-red centers appear continually in summer.