Garden Coreopsis
Coreopsis tinctoria
Family Asteraceae

Characteristics:
* Flowers golden, with 8 composite rays and a brown center, 1 1/2-2".
* Ray bases are brown and notched at the tip.
* Height: 1-3'.

Natural History:
* Habitat: Meadows; often planted in gardens.
* Range: Manitoba and Minnesota westward, spreading eastward.
* Native in the western United States, but escaped and now naturalized in the eastern part of the country.

Connections!
* Garden coreopsis is also called Calliopsis, which is Latin for "having beautiful eyes." A red dye was once made from its petals.

* Over 21,000 species of herbs, wildflowers, and shrubs represent the Composite family throughout the world.