Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)

Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)

Tall coreopsis is a native perennial in Wisconsin, blooming from midsummer to early fall with a spectacular show of bright yellow, daisy-like flowers. Each flower is 1 to 1½ inches wide, bearing 6 to 8 petal-like ray florets around a brown center, and emits a subtle anise scent. Held high on upright, well-branched stems, plants typically reach 3 to 8 feet tall, though height varies with soil depth and moisture. In ideal conditions, they can form striking vertical accents above shorter prairie species.

The smooth-margined, three-parted leaves grow alternately along the stem with narrow lobes that give the foliage a delicate, divided appearance. Tall coreopsis spreads by both seed and rhizome, forming colonies that support pollinators like bees, butterflies, and skippers. After blooming, its seedheads persist into winter, adding texture and feeding birds.

Adaptable and resilient, it thrives in sunny fields, meadows, moist to mesic prairies, and open savannas or woodlands. Its ecological value and visual presence make it a cornerstone species for restoration and native plant gardens.

Sources:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Endangered Resources Program

UW–Madison Herbarium – Wisconsin State Herbarium Species Accounts

Flora of Wisconsin – Coreopsis tripteris Species Page

USDA NRCS PLANTS Database – Coreopsis tripteris Profile

NatureServe Explorer – Coreopsis tripteris Conservation Status

Minnesota Wildflowers – Coreopsis tripteris Description

Illinois Wildflowers – Coreopsis tripteris Ecological Notes

Prairie Moon Nursery – Coreopsis tripteris Species Profile

Prairie Nursery – Tall Coreopsis Species Description

Tallgrass Prairie Center – Prairie Plant Ecology

Butterflies and Moths of North America – Host Plant Records for Coreopsis Species

Xerces Society – Pollinator Use of Late-Season Prairie Plants

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