Little Penny Hybrid Tickseed

Hybrid Tickseed
Coreopsis 'Little Penny'
(kor-ee-OP-sis)
Synonyms: Threadleaf Coreopsis

Yesterday I was at the New York Botanical Garden to se the Daylily collection. It was, as usual, dazzling and just about in full bloom. It was quite a spectacle the only problem being it was so hot out. After viewing the Daylilies I decided to take a walk through the Home Gardening Garden. This area of the garden has come a long way in the last few years and I was happy to see today’s featured flower.

Coreopsis ‘Little Penny’ appeared to be a cushion mum from far away. It was a mound completely covered with flowers. The color, as you can see, was quite unusual for a Coreopsis. This variety was introduced by Terra Nova Nurseries in 2010. The link shows some of the interesting varieties they have been breeding (the click through on that page seemed to be disabled, sorry). I would love to grow some ‘Little Penny’ but all the references I saw say it is tender in all but Zone 9 and 10, which are the warmest in the United States. It still would be a worthy annual especially if it blooms, as advertised, continuously through the season. I don’t think you could have fit another flower on the specimens I saw.


See more flowers from all over the world at Today’s Flowers .

Here is a bonus flower for Sunday.



Upright Prairie Coneflower
Ratibida columnifera
(ruh-TIB-ih-duh) (kol-um-NEE-fer-uh)
Synonyms: Mexican Hats, Grey Headed Coneflower, Yellow Coneflower, Red Hats

This is a fun flower. I call it ‘Mexican Hat’ but its true name is Upright Prairie Coneflower. It is a bit of a wispy plant that doesn’t require a lot of attention. It is probably something I am doing but I can’t get it to last more than a couple of years at a time. Like most prairie wildflowers it is drought resistant and adaptable.