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Burgundy-red petals with a bright yellow center — that is the signature look of Mercury Rising, a hybrid tickseed that stops garden visitors mid-stride. Unlike the common yellow coreopsis lining highway medians, this variety delivers a deep wine-red flower that keeps blooming from early summer straight through fall, making it a rare color addition to the perennial border.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind Gardening Beyond. My work focuses on comparing the structural genetics, bloom duration data, and cold-hardiness ratings of named perennial cultivars across dozens of grower trials to identify which plants actually deliver on their marketed traits.
This guide breaks down the best options for planting this standout perennial in your landscape. Whether you want a fully rooted plant ready to go or a bulk seed mix for naturalizing, you will find exactly the right match in this roundup of the best mercury rising tickseed choices for reliable color year after year.
How To Choose The Best Mercury Rising Tickseed
Not all tickseed plants are the same. Mercury Rising is a patented hybrid with specific growth habits that set it apart from the straight species. Before clicking add-to-cart, understand the factors that separate a plant that thrives from one that limps along.
Live Plant vs. Seeds — The Real Trade-Off
Mercury Rising is a trademarked cultivar (PP#24689) and does not come true from seed. If you buy generic coreopsis seeds labeled “red mix” you risk getting a washed-out orange flower with none of the velvety burgundy tone. For guaranteed color, purchase a live plant in a container from a nursery that sources from licensed propagators. Seeds are fine for mass wildflower mixes with no color guarantee, but for the exact Mercury Rising look you need a rooted perennial.
Container Size and Shipping Windows
Most reputable sellers ship in a #1 container (roughly 1 gallon) with a fully rooted crown. The plant may arrive dormant if shipped between November and March — this is normal and preferable over forcing growth during transport. Check the USDA zone restriction list carefully: some sellers cannot ship to states like CA, OR, WA, AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, UT, and HI due to agricultural regulations. Buyers in these states need to source from local nurseries or sellers with fewer restrictions.
Bloom Timing and Spacing for Full Effect
Mercury Rising flowers from early summer to fall, with a spread of up to 3 feet at maturity. Space plants 24 inches apart for a continuous ground-cover effect. The fall flush may display creamy white streaks on the petals as temperatures cool — this is a desirable trait of the C. rosea parentage, not a defect. Deadheading spent blooms prolongs the display significantly, so factor that maintenance into your decision.
Quick Comparison
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| Model | Category | Best For | Key Spec | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coreopsis x ‘Mercury Rising’ | Live Perennial | Exact burgundy-red color guarantee | 15-18 in height, PP#24689 | Amazon |
| Greenwood Moonbeam Tickseed | Live Perennial | Repeat blooms June to frost | 2X pint pots, mature 24 in | Amazon |
| Uptick ‘Gold & Bronze’ | Live Perennial | Compact 14-16 in front border | Golden-yellow with red eye | Amazon |
| Clovers Garden Moonbeam | Live Perennial | Two established plants per order | 4-8 in tall, 4 in pots | Amazon |
| Outsidepride Lance-leaved Seeds | Seeds | Large area naturalizing | 1/4 lb bulk, 30 in height | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Coreopsis x ‘Mercury Rising’ (Big Bang Tickseed)
This is the authentic Mercury Rising — the actual patented hybrid with deep burgundy-red velvety petals and a yellow center that earned Darrell Probst his plant patent. The plant ships in a #1 container with a fully rooted crown, meaning you get a mature root system ready to establish immediately. The spread hits up to 3 feet at maturity, so a single plant fills a substantial gap in the border by its second season.
Customer reports consistently praise the packaging quality and overall health upon arrival. Multiple verified purchasers describe the plant as flourishing within one week of potting and note the vibrant green foliage with no transplant shock. The fall color shift — creamy white streaks appearing on petals as temperatures drop — is exactly what the C. rosea genetics are supposed to produce, and reviewers who experienced it were delighted rather than confused.
The main limitation is state shipping restrictions. This seller cannot ship to AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, or WA. If you live in those states, you need to source from a local nursery. Additionally, plants shipped between November and March arrive dormant and trimmed — this is standard practice but may surprise first-time mail-order buyers expecting full blooms in winter.
What works
- Guaranteed true-to-type burgundy-red color from patented hybrid
- Strong root system in #1 container, no transplant shock
- Fall streaking adds unique visual interest
What doesn’t
- Cannot ship to several western states due to regulations
- Arrives dormant in winter, may concern new buyers
2. Greenwood Nursery Moonbeam Tickseed
Greenwood Nursery delivers two pint pots of Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’ — a pale yellow variety with threadleaf foliage that creates a soft, airy texture in the garden. While this is not the same cultivar as Mercury Rising, it is the benchmark against which all other tickseed varieties are measured for bloom duration. Deadhead the spent flowers and this plant keeps pumping out yellow blooms until hard frost, giving you a solid six months of color.
The shipping packaging here is among the best in this roundup. Greenwood uses crunched craft paper and air pillows inside corrugated boxes with the plant sleeved in craft paper to protect foliage and keep soil contained. Customers who ordered both lavender and black-eyed Susans from this nursery reported identical excellent packaging, healthy green leaves, and moist soil upon arrival. The 14-day guarantee offers a safety net for transit stress.
The primary criticism from a minority of buyers concerns the size of the plants relative to the price. These are pint pots — smaller than the #1 containers used by Perennial Farm Marketplace — and some customers felt local garden centers offered larger specimens for the same cost. If you want instant impact rather than a plant that will size up over a season, the larger format of the Mercury Rising container is a better call.
What works
- Blooms continuously from June to frost with deadheading
- Exceptional packaging ensures healthy arrival
- 14-day guarantee covers transit issues
What doesn’t
- Pint pots are smaller than #1 containers
- Some customers found larger plants locally for the same cost
3. Uptick ‘Gold & Bronze’ (Tickseed)
This is the closest competitor to Mercury Rising in terms of visual drama. The Uptick ‘Gold & Bronze’ produces very large golden-yellow flowers with a prominent bronze-red eye — almost a reverse color scheme to the burgundy-red of Mercury Rising. At just 14-16 inches tall, it is more compact, making it ideal for the front of a border or edging a pathway where you need controlled height.
The packaging from Perennial Farm Marketplace uses paper and straw fill to protect the plant, and multiple customers describe the root systems as robust with undamaged leaves. One reviewer specifically noted this variety performs best when viewed from 360 degrees rather than set against other plants — its round mounding habit fills out beautifully in open space. Deer resistance is rated highly across all tickseed types, but this one is specifically marketed as deer-leerious.
The same state restrictions apply as with Mercury Rising: no shipping to AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, or WA. Additionally, plants arriving dormant in winter may look unimpressive out of the box. Deadheading is required for best bloom performance, so factor that weekly maintenance into your plans if you want continuous flowers through late summer.
What works
- Very large flowers for its compact 14-16 in frame
- Bronze-red eye creates unusual color contrast
- Excellent root systems reported by buyers
What doesn’t
- Restricted shipping to multiple western states
- Needs deadheading for sustained flower production
4. Clovers Garden Moonbeam Coreopsis
This deal gives you two live plants in 4-inch pots, each standing 4 to 8 inches tall at shipping, for a price that undercuts the single-plant containers from Perennial Farm Marketplace. The variety here is Moonbeam — the classic pale yellow threadleaf coreopsis — not Mercury Rising, but if you are establishing a mass planting or filling a cottage garden bed, two established plants beat one larger plant for overall coverage.
Buyers overwhelmingly report healthy plants with flowers and buds already present on arrival. The 10x Root Development claim appears to hold up based on reviews: customers note little to no transplant distress and strong continued growth after planting. The company is based in the Midwest and grows the plants there, which means they are already acclimated to a continental climate rather than a greenhouse environment.
The packaging draws mixed feedback. Some customers found the excessive tape a pain to remove — the plants are taped into the box and around the pot, requiring careful cutting to extract without damaging stems. This is a minor logistical annoyance rather than a plant-health issue, but it adds frustration to the unboxing experience compared to the straw-and-paper method used by Perennial Farm Marketplace.
What works
- Two healthy plants per order at an accessible investment
- Already blooming with buds on arrival per multiple reviews
- Minimal transplant stress thanks to robust root development
What doesn’t
- Excessive tape on packaging frustrates some buyers
- Smaller initial size than #1 container options
5. Outsidepride Lance-leaved Coreopsis Seeds
This is a bulk seed packet of Coreopsis lanceolata — the straight species with golden-yellow flowers and reddish-brown centers — not Mercury Rising. If your goal is to naturalize a large meadow or fill an empty field with bright yellow blooms on a tight budget, this 1/4-pound bag containing roughly 5000 seeds represents exceptional value. It is not, however, a substitute for the named cultivar if you want the specific burgundy-red color of Mercury Rising.
The seeds are described as GMO-free and suitable for USDA zones 3-9. Once established, these plants are highly drought and humidity tolerant, thriving with little to no supplemental watering in sandy soils. Pollinator appeal is strong, with bees and butterflies drawn to the blooms. The self-seeding habit means you get a wider display each year without replanting, making this ideal for xeriscaping or low-maintenance wildflower projects.
Customer experiences are mixed. Multiple 5-star reviews report beautiful flowers and easy germination, but a minority note that sprouts died after a few weeks or that the first year produced no blooms at all. Coreopsis lanceolata often skips flowering in the first season and puts on its show in year two, so patience is required. This is not a plug-and-play option for instant gratification, and the yellow color here is nothing like the deep burgundy of the true Mercury Rising cultivar.
What works
- Massive 5000-seed count for large-area coverage
- Drought-tolerant and self-seeding for permanent naturalization
- Excellent pollinator magnet for butterfly gardens
What doesn’t
- First-year blooms are not guaranteed
- Golden-yellow flowers, not burgundy-red like Mercury Rising
Hardware & Specs Guide
USDA Hardiness Zones
Mercury Rising is rated for zones 5 through 9. This means it can survive winter lows down to -20°F in zone 5 and still thrive in the heat of zone 9. If you live in zone 4 or below, this plant will not overwinter reliably without heavy mulching. The Uptick Gold & Bronze shares the same zone range, while the Moonbeam varieties stretch wider — some suppliers list zones 3 through 10 for the species.
Mature Spread and Spacing
Mercury Rising will spread up to 3 feet at maturity. The plant patent recommends 24-inch spacing between individuals for a continuous ground cover effect without overcrowding. The Uptick series stays tighter at 14-16 inches tall with a correspondingly smaller spread. For the seed-based Outsidepride lance-leaved coreopsis, the expected plant height is 30 inches with indeterminate spread depending on competition in the planting area.
FAQ
Can I grow Mercury Rising from seed and get the same burgundy-red color?
Why do some sellers refuse to ship Mercury Rising to certain states?
What should I do if my Mercury Rising arrives looking brown or leafless in winter?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For most gardeners, the best mercury rising tickseed winner is the Coreopsis x ‘Mercury Rising’ because it is the only option that guarantees the exact burgundy-red velvety petal color and cold-hardy C. rosea genetics from the patented hybrid. If you want a compact, large-flowered alternative with a bronze-red eye that works in tight front-border spaces, grab the Uptick ‘Gold & Bronze’. And for mass naturalizing on a strict budget where color precision does not matter, nothing beats the value of the Outsidepride Lance-leaved Coreopsis Seeds for covering large areas with cheerful yellow blooms.