The state wildflower certainly deserves a place in every Florida green space, but like a lot of the more diminutive Florida wildflowers it tends to be wispy and gets scraggly looking once it’s done blooming so it’s not a good choice for growing as a single specimen, but best grown en masse or mixed with other wildflowers.  A mass planting of tickseed alone can be stunning with all of the brilliant yellow flower heads.Â
Coreopsis plants don’t produce much foliage, but rather appear as a bunch of spindly flower stems so you need quite a few of them together to make an impact and fill in the bare bits. Lanceleaf tickseed is one of the few species that have enough leaves at the base to form a basal rosette, but they would still tend to get lost in the landscape if planted alone. I like to use lanceleaf tickseed mixed in flower beds with other flowers like red salvia or blue curls.
Coreopsis is a great wildflower to grow if you have the right spot because they are native, provide nectar and pollen for our insects, and are maintenance free once established. They look great in a wildflower meadow or as a large grouping.
Getting coreopsis started in your green space is an easy enough task. If you are patient you can get away with planting one or two plants in a given area and let them go to seed allowing seedlings to come up the following year. Starting plants this way is economical, but takes time. Starting a flat of seedlings and planting out dozens is the best strategy for a large planting of them. Of course, direct sowing seeds will work as well. Do your best to get Florida ecotype seeds so they have the genetics to thrive in our harsh environment.
All coreopsis like their feet wet, or at least constantly moist. Coreopsis lanceolata is the only central Florida species that is found growing in drier conditions, but it still prefers regular waterings and won’t thrive in the home landscape if it stays too dry.