Lanceleaf coreopsis earns its place through sheer cheerfulness and a willingness to thrive where other plants struggle. Native to the south-central US, it has naturalized across much of the country, turning roadsides and dry fields into ribbons of gold each spring. The narrow, lance-shaped leaves give it away before it blooms, growing opposite one another on stems that reach 1 to 3 feet. Its name comes from the Greek for "bug-like," a nod to the seed shape — but nothing about the flower itself is buggy.

It asks for full sun and decent drainage; give it too fertile a soil and it will sprawl rather than stand. Sandy or rocky ground suits it perfectly, and it handles drought, deer, heat, and humidity without complaint. The main task is deadheading — skip it, and the plant will seed itself enthusiastically into every nearby patch of bare ground. Division every two or three years keeps the clumps vigorous. In a meadow or pollinator garden where spreading is welcome, it can largely look after itself.