Dyers Coreopsis Seeds - Coreopsis tinctoria | Natural Dye Plant Qty 100
Coreopsis tinctoria (Dyer's Coreopsis, also known as Plains Coreopsis or Golden Tickseed) is a beautiful, easy-to-grow annual wildflower and an outstanding natural dye plant. The vibrant yellow-to-reddish flowers produce wonderful warm golden, orange, and rust tones on yarn and fiber.
You don’t need to be a dyer to enjoy them — these cheerful daisy-like blooms bring wild beauty to gardens, borders, and containers. Grow your own supply for fresh or dried flowers (you can freeze extras for later dyeing). See the rich colors in the listing photos from flowers grown right here on our homestead!
Choose Your Option:
Option 1 – Loose Seeds
- Approx. 100 Open-Pollinated Dyers Coreopsis Seeds (cleaned & loose, in husks removed) * (More work on my end — hand-cleaned for your convenience)
Option 2 – Whole Seed Heads
- Approx. 15 Dried Seed Heads (Easy for me, still gives you plenty of seeds — each head potentially contains dozens of tiny seeds. Great if you enjoy processing them yourself)
This sun-loving annual grows 18–36 inches tall, blooms prolifically from summer into fall, and self-sows readily for returning plants year after year.
Botanical Name: Coreopsis tinctoria
Color: Yellow with Reddish Centers (varied)
Blooming Season: Summer – Fall
Soil: Well-Drained (tolerates poor & sandy soils)
Germination: 5-14 Days
Seed Depth: Surface sow / lightly press (needs light)
Plant Spacing: 10-18 inches
Height: 18–36 inches
Sun: Full Sun
Water Needs: Low to Moderate (Drought tolerant once established)
Homestead Notes Grown and hand-harvested here at Running Bug Farm in an all-natural, chemical-free environment. I grow in a biodiverse, no-spray garden that supports pollinators and works with nature. These are open-pollinated, non-GMO seeds you can save and grow year after year.
Why Grow Dyers Coreopsis?
- Excellent Natural Dye Plant — fresh or dried flowers yield bright golds, oranges, and rusts on alum-mordanted wool, silk, and other fibers. Use about 2 handfuls of fresh flowers per dye batch. See my Dried Dyers Coreopsis Flowers for ready-to-use material if you prefer not to harvest yourself.
- Pollinator Favorite — attracts bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects.
- Beautiful Cut Flower — long-lasting in arrangements.
- Easy & Low Maintenance — drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and self-sows for a returning dye garden.
- Edible & Ornamental — lovely wildflower even if you never dye with it.
Growing Tips from the Grower Seeds are very small and light. Surface sow or press lightly — they need light to germinate. Sow directly after the last frost or start indoors 4–6 weeks earlier. Keep soil consistently moist until seedlings emerge (5–14 days).
Full sun is best. Space plants 10–18 inches apart. Water during dry spells but they are quite drought-tolerant once established.
For Continuous Blooming: Regular removal of spent blossoms (deadheading) keeps the plants flowering heavily all season long. If blossoms are left on, flowering will slow down as the plant puts energy into seed production. Tip: If your goal is primarily saving seed, let the flowers go to seed. If you want maximum beauty and/or dye material, keep up with blossom removal.
Dyeing Tips Harvest flowers at peak bloom. Use fresh, frozen, or solar-dried. They produce strong, warm yellow-orange dyes on pre-mordanted protein fibers. Experiment with different mordants and modifiers for beautiful variations.
Zero Waste Packaging Seeds / seed heads are hand-packed in paper bags. I reuse padded mailers and boxes whenever possible to reduce waste. You’re welcome to reuse or recycle the packaging too!
Need help? Please contact me and I'll do my best to assist you.
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