Minnesota Wildflowers


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Coreopsis palmata (Prairie Coreopsis)

Plant Info
Also known as: Stiff Tickseed, Finger Coreopsis
Genus:Coreopsis
Family:Asteraceae (Aster)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:sun; fields, prairies
Bloom season:June - August
Plant height:1 to 3 feet
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

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Detailed Information

Flower: 7+petals

[photo of flower] Yellow flower 1½ to 2 inches across with 8 to 12 petals (ray flowers); the center is yellow and turns brown with maturity. There are 2 noticeable impressed veins that run the length of each petal, and there may be a few brownish spots on some. The petal tips are mostly smooth but may have small notches.

[photo of bract] The bracts are about ¼ inch long and very narrow, with rounded tips. Each plant may have a few flowers, though a single flower is common.

Leaves: opposite lobed

[photo of leaves] Leaves are 2 to 4 inches long with no leaf stem and deeply divided into 3 lobes. The center lobe the longest and sometimes has 1 or 2 additional small lobes. The center vein in each lobe is usually light green; each runs all the way down to the leaf base where it attaches to the main stem.

Where to buy native seed and plants

Help support this site by buying seeds & plants from these vendors. Tell them we sent you!

  • Shooting Star Native Seeds - Native Prairie Grass and Wildflower Seeds
  • Prairie Restorations - Bringing people together with the land
  • Shop for native seeds and plants at PrairieMoon.com!
  • Out Back Nursery and Landscaping - Where Ecology and Horticulture Unite

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN, and Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, Coon Rapids, MN, June-July 2007

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Betty in Northfield
on: 2011-07-19 16:36:35

Thank you for this website. I have packages of wild flower seeds that I just throw in my garden for fun. None of the plants I have are pictured on the package. I have a zillion of these yellow flowers and thought they might be coreopsis. And your photo confirmed it.

Posted by: K. Chayka
on: 2011-07-19 17:35:54

Many seed packets marketed as "wildflower" mixes don't contain anything you'd actually find growing wild in Minnesota. ;) Some of those mixes contain invasive species, too, so buyer beware.

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