Coreopsis verticillata Curry Up

The Deciduous Coreopsis Verticillata 'Curry Up' or Whorled Coreopsis, comes from the Sugar&Spice collection. This perennial forms a very round cushion of very fine, bright green foliage, covered in flowers. These star-shaped flowers have wide, golden yellow petals, speckled with deep red in the centre, for a spicy and contrasting result. They bloom continuously from early summer to autumn on a compact plant. Its undemanding nature and love for the sun make it suitable for well-exposed slopes and difficult conditions. It is also a disease-resistant variety, outstanding in flower pots and bouquets.

The Deciduous Coreopsis Verticillata belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is native to the plains of Central America, Mexico, and the southeastern United States. 'Curry Up' is a cultivar selected by Walters Gardens in the United States. This herbaceous perennial with a woody rootstock has a spreading, highly branched, dense, and particularly rounded habit. It reaches a height of 45 cm (18in) with a spread of 60 cm (24in) at maturity. Flowering begins in July and continues until the first frost. The pale yellow capitulum flowers, 4 cm (2in) in diameter, open from rounded buds and are arranged in whorls of 3 along the slender stems. The 8 outer ligules, wide and flat, form a curry yellow with a deep red collar around a reddish-brown central disc. The dark green and deciduous foliage is composed of 6 cm (2in) long leaves, finely divided into linear leaflets. The plant slowly spreads through a tangle of thin, non-trailing rhizomes.

Deciduous Coreopsis Verticillata 'Curry Up' has multiple uses. It thrives in a rock garden with carnations, yarrows, heleniums, in a herbaceous border alongside Teucrium chamaedrys or x lucidrys, thyme, and cotton lavenders. In a pot or container, this plant blooms continuously from the first year. For a beautiful summer display, it can be paired with calamintha and nepeta whether in the ground or in a large pot, with very little water. Lastly, it is a lovely flower for summer bouquets, bringing sunshine indoors.