This is one of the stranger California natives for the garden, and more spectacular for it. I'd avoided them because they reminded me of the smudge pots at the beginning of the movie "Alien". You know, the ones in the dark cavern that infected the guy and started the carnage? That's what the dry stump kind of looks like. Then, like the alien, that incredible foliage boils out the top with those bright yellow flowers. What an amazing plant. I had a friend who wouldn't plant one, because the feng shui in her garden would be compromised by having something dead-looking in it. Maybe pots are the way to go in that situation? --- On Wed, 12/15/10, Paul Licht <plicht@berkeley.edu> wrote: From: Paul Licht <plicht@berkeley.edu> Subject: Re: [pbs] OT -Coreopsis gigantea To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Date: Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 1:35 PM Coreopsis has been growing for decades here in the Garden. It seeds so readily that we tend to ignore the seeds and just dig up seedlings. Although it 'grows like a weed' for us, it is not necessarily a nice garden plant. It must be in well drained soil and then kept near bone dry in summer and probably doesn't tolerate frost. My wife objects to having a dead looking plant in the yard for much of the year. Paul Licht, Director University of California Botanical Garden 200 Centennial Drive Berkeley, CA 94720 (510)-643-8999 http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/ On 12/15/2010 1:06 PM, mhach@ix.netcom.com wrote: > Coreopsis gigantea has been available in the past from Annie's Annuals in California > > > Marc > waaaaay too cold here in NJ,USA > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ >