Pronounced (approximate): kor-ee-OP-sis pal-MAY-tuh
Golden flower heads brighten patches of this native prairie perennial. Its stiff stems and narrow, three-lobed leaves are useful clues even when it is not flowering.
Prairie Coreopsis: yellow ray flowers surround a golden central disk. Tap the photo to open the gallery.
Family Asteraceae
Life cycle Herbaceous perennial
Blooms June–July in the Midwest
Height Usually 1–3 feet
Habitat Dry to mesic prairies, open savannas, and sunny grasslands
Common names
Prairie Coreopsis · Stiff Tickseed · Finger Coreopsis · Prairie Tickseed
Also classified as Anacis palmata. Kew accepts this newer combination; many regional references retain Coreopsis palmata.
Bloom timing and height vary with location. Native status refers to North America; see the regional range below.
Explore reported observations. Sightings are not a complete range map.
Look in sunny prairie remnants and open savannas, especially on well-drained ground. Flowers are most conspicuous in early to midsummer; the divided foliage remains useful afterward.
Sand Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) usually has much of its foliage near the base, with many undivided leaves. Tall Coreopsis (C. tripteris) is taller and has leaves divided into three separate leaflets, rather than the narrow lobes of Prairie Coreopsis. Compare foliage as well as flowers.
Each daisy-like head contains a ring of yellow ray florets and many small disk florets. The rays often end in shallow notches. Heads are carried above the leafy stems.
Leaves grow in opposite pairs along stiff stems. Most blades split into three slender lobes, producing a distinctive finger-like outline; some leaves may be undivided.
This perennial spreads by underground rhizomes and often grows in colonies. It favors open prairie and savanna habitats where sunlight reaches the ground.
7 field photographs. Select a photograph to enlarge it and browse the slideshow.
Native to North America. Its native distribution is centered in the central United States, including Wisconsin and Illinois.
Reported U.S. native distribution
AR, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, NE, OK, SD, WI.
Distribution follows Kew Plants of the World Online under Anacis palmata. State records do not imply occurrence in every county. Observation maps may include cultivated plants.
Observation maps show submitted records, not every place the plant occurs. Follow local access rules when visiting a site.
Practice recognizing Prairie Coreopsis in the flower quiz, or compare it with other plants in the guide.