Tickseed: Plant of the Week

Because it's the first in the series of Plant of the Week, and because we are located in Florida, I thought I'd start out with the official wildflower for the state of Florida.
It's a Coreopsis, of which there are quite a few, and it's common name is quite fun: Tickseed. After the flower dies off, it leaves a little brown bump of a seed, resembling a well-fed tick.
It didn't become the State Wildflower until 1991, and it's far less troublesome to the state than its State Flower, the Orange Blossom. Being a native, one doesn't have to worry about pests or disease as much. It also means it's relatively easy to care for. Some natives can spread rather enthusiastically, but the Tickseed seems to keep a moderate pace and isn't invasive in our garden at all.
Blooming throughout the summer in cheery yellow suns, it grows 2-3 feet tall in slender stalks. Cut the flowers to promote more bloom time, and place them inside in a vase, where they'll cheer up your decor as well.
I am now headed out to check on the nursery, do a bit of watering, and rake up some cut grass (the lawn was so high I think I am really making hay). I'll spread the grass around the garden beds to use as a mulch. I'll take our chick, Mo, to keep me company and let it enjoy a sand bath.