Consider-the-Lilies Web Gallery
Forest Tickseed
These beautiful yellow wildflowers were found growing in an open wooded area beside the Blue Ridge Parkway above Waynesboro, Virginia.
Standing more than thirty-six inches in height, this perennial native is one of the tallest members of the Coreopsis family.
Common
in open woodlands from New York to southern Georgia, Coreopsis major,
is perhaps better known for its seeds, which are equipped with two sharp
barbels.
A passing animal or hiker will find the seeds have hitched a ride by just brushing against the withered plant, thus propagating the seeds some distance from the point of contact.
In Massachusetts, where I was raised we called these seeds "Devil's pitchforks," but the most common name seems to be "tickseeds."
Both
the botanic and common names reflect the similarity of these black,
two-tined seeds to the common tick, which also attaches itself to
anyone passing through an overgrown weedy area.
The scientific suffix, Coreopsis is a compound formed from the Greek words koris for "a bug" and -opsis meaning "resembling or looking like," thus Coreopsis for "bug-like."
Forest Tickseed, and the other common names, including Whorled-leaf Coreopsis, Greater Tickseed, and Greater Coreopsis, all reference the similarity of the seeds to forest ticks.
It seems a shame to me, that both of the names, scientific and common, emphasize the irritating little seeds rather than the brilliant yellow flowers that add so much beauty to the edge of the Parkway.
Go to the Main Directory to consider more lilies of the field.