I can't tell for certain if this one is c. grandiflora , or c. tinctoria but the germination suggestion is the same for both.... Surface sow 70F or barely cover as some light may be beneficial to germination. Germination in approx. 7-14 days. I don't know this particular coreopsis to be able to tell you if it comes true from seed, or even if it sets viable seed. Some of the named varieties coreopsis do not. Here is a link that might be useful: coreopsis grandiflora ripe seed photo Seed Site

I don't any more, but i used to take 6-8" cuttings and lay them out in a row on a 12" by 36" sheet of plastic film. Lower end of the cutting at about the center of the sheet and cuttings extending over one edge. Sprinkle a layer of moist vermiculite on the ends, fold the plastic over, and roll up. Placed in a vegetable crisper in the fridge gave good results. George

Hevykevy welcome to Texas! And I agree, the climate can be a real burden. But that being said, when you get lemons, make lemonade! I moved here last year and ran into much of the same stuff you're experiencing. But don't be discouraged! A ton of fantastic plants can be grown in your area. Almost any type of garden style you'd like. It's all about plant selection, making sure you have the right soil and understanding that certain things may die down to the ground in the winter or maybe even need to be brought into the garage for protection. On my end I'm a tropical guy. I grew up in Miami and need that tropical look. I grow banana, canna, elephant ear, Queen palms and crinium lily, bamboo and plenty of grasses. Almost all of that stuff dies to the groud in winter, so I'm interplanting perenial shrubs like boxwood to maintain a nice appearence in the yard during winter. But come on over to the Texas forum and say hello. Abolutely great people. 1/2 of my plants were actually given to me by Texas gardeners. Next year I'll also be trading and sharing. I don't expect to use HD for a while. Good luck with you croton. I did the exact same thing, accept mine was left in a big pot. the stems are still pretty "beefy". Maybe there is still some hope? For us crotons will not work in the yard. My favorite plant is the canna lily. But one plant I'd recomend to replace the croton in your yard is the Esperanza. It's a Texas favorite. For one, it grows like a weed with little atttention, loves the Texas climate. It's normally one of the first plants to bloom, and blooms continously till the first freeze. It has beautiful yellow flowers and bright green leaves that give it a tropical flavor "in my opinion". Good luck and happy gardening! Here is a link that might be useful:

Not oleander. Nerium oleanders have whorled leaves, and the secondary leaf veins (going out from the center main one) are parallel and close together. Not easy to explain, at least for me tonight, but oleander leaves are distinctively veined. Unfortunately, although the plant in the photo looks teasingly familiar, my brain just isn't plucking a name out of the file drawer right now.