Coreopsis verticillata Sunbeam

Coreopsis 'Sunbeam' resembles the Whorled Coreopsis Moonbeam, but this variety, with its brighter yellow flowers, has a less dense, more airy growth habit, and it may bloom even longer. Its small daisy-like flowers open until the first cold on a tuft of stems adorned with delicate dark green leaves. It is a hardy, unpretentious perennial that thrives in full sun, on well-exposed slopes, in raised beds, wherever the soil is light and well-drained. Remarkable in a pot, it is also an excellent cut flower. 

Coreopsis 'Sunbeam' belongs to the Asteraceae family. Its wild ancestor, the Whorled Coreopsis, is native to the plains of Central America, Mexico, and the southeastern United States. 'Sunbeam' is a relatively compact cultivar selected for its exceptional flowering duration. This rhizomatous herbaceous perennial with a woody base has a spreading, branched, flexible and airy habit. It reaches about 50 cm (20in) in height with a spread of 40 cm (16in). Flowering begins as early as June and continues until the first frost. The bright lemon yellow flowers, 3.5 cm (1in) in diameter, open from rounded buds and are arranged in whorls of 3 along the slender stems. The dark green foliage is composed of leaves 6 cm (2in) long, finely divided into linear leaflets. The plant slowly spreads through a tangle of thin, non-running rhizomes. The foliage is deciduous, absent in winter.  

The Green Whorled Coreopsis Sunbeam is a simple and charming perennial that can be used in multiple ways. It will thrive in a rockery, on a difficult slope with carnations, Damask wallflowers, and wild flax, in a herbaceous border alongside lavenders and snapdragons. In a pot or container, this plant blooms continuously from the first year. For a beautiful summer display, it can be combined with Calamintha glandulosa and Nepeta 'Dawn to dusk' both in the ground and in a large pot with very little water. It is also a lovely flower for summer bouquets, bringing sunshine indoors.