Coreopsis major - Grand Coréopsis

The Coreopsis major, now named Anacis major, is a tall North American perennial very different from horticultural coreopsis. Its stiff, upright stems bear deeply divided leaves, arranged at regular intervals in a whorl. In early summer, they branch at their tips and carry large bright yellow daisies, with a yellow or reddish-brown centre. Very hardy, undemanding and drought-resistant, this botanical species suits wildflower meadows and naturalistic borders.

Anacis major belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is a herbaceous deciduous perennial: its stems and leaves die back in autumn, while its crown remains alive underground and produces new shoots in spring. This species is native to the eastern United States, from Louisiana and Florida up to Pennsylvania and New York State. It grows in dry, open woodlands, open pine forests, poor grasslands, sandy or stony banks and along roadsides. Long classified within the Coreopsis genus, it was transferred to the Anacis genus in 2024. The plant forms an upright clump. Its stoloniferous crown sends out underground stems that produce new shoots around the base, gradually forming a colony. It reaches 80 to 90 cm in height with a 50 to 60 cm spread, but its stems can approach 1.20 m in richer, moister soil. The colony gradually expands both through its underground stems and by self-sowing. The stems, finely hairy, branch near their tops. The middle leaves are opposite, almost without petioles and divided into three lanceolate leaflets. As two leaves face each other at each node, their six leaflets appear arranged in a whorl around the stem. The upper leaves, smaller, are entire. This regular architecture makes the species recognisable even when not in flower. In June and July, flower heads of 4 to 6 cm in diameter appear. Each usually combines eight bright yellow ray florets, long and slightly toothed, around a central disc of small tubular florets. This centre is yellow on many individuals, but can take on a reddish-brown hue. This flowering provides nectar and pollen for insects, then produces dark brown to black achenes eaten by certain birds. Very hardy, the plant withstands temperatures close to -23 °C. It tolerates heat, atmospheric humidity and drought once established. Overly fertile soil encourages looser stems, and waterlogged ground can cause crown rot.

The tall coreopsis, with its somewhat stiff appearance, is best planted in groups of five to seven specimens in a wildflower meadow, on a bank or in a large sunny border. It can be paired with Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam', lower and lemon-yellow, placed at the front. Echinacea pallida, pale pink, and Symphyotrichum oblongifolium 'October Skies', violet-blue, thrive in the same poor, well-drained soil. Their flowering adds other colours to a natural scene. Allow enough space between neighbouring plants and its crown, which spreads into colonies over the years.