Devil’s Beggarticks

(Bidens frondosa)

Devil’s Beggarticks (Bidens frondosa)

Yoan MARTIN

CC BY-SA 4.0

Image By: Yoan MARTIN

Recorded By:

Estimated Native Range

Summary

Bidens frondosa, commonly known as Devil’s Beggarticks, is an annual herb that thrives in a variety of habitats including moist areas along streams and rivers, wet meadows, ditches, and disturbed sites, primarily in the Eastern USA, Pacific Northwest, and Southern Canada. It typically grows to 20–60 cm (8–24 in) tall, but under ideal conditions, it may reach up to 1.8 m (6 ft). The plant has a somewhat bushy appearance with lance-shaped leaves and branched stems. The inflorescence usually consists of solitary flower heads, but sometimes appears in pairs or arrays of several heads. Each head contains numerous small orange disc florets, and while most lack ray florets, some may have a few small yellow rays. The fruit is a flat, black or brown barbed cypsela, notable for its two hornlike pappi that facilitate seed dispersal by sticking to animals.

Devil’s Beggarticks is known for its adaptability to wet conditions and is often used in rain gardens or for naturalizing in moist areas. It is also recognized for its role in supporting pollinators. The plant is easy to grow and maintain, requiring minimal care once established. It prefers ample soil moisture and can tolerate a range of light conditions from part shade to full sun. It is best suited to soils with fast or medium drainage. However, gardeners should be cautious as Bidens frondosa can be potentially invasive outside its native range, and its barbed seeds can become a nuisance by adhering to clothing and fur.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

Plant Type: Herb
Height: 1-3 feet
Width: 1-3 feet
Growth Rate: Rapid
Flower Color: N/A
Flowering Season: Summer
Leaf Retention:

Growth Requirements

Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Drainage: Fast, Medium

Common Uses

Bee Garden, Bird Garden, Butterfly Garden, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Low Maintenance, Water Garden

Natural Habitat

Moist areas along streams and rivers, wet meadows, ditches, and disturbed sites

Other Names

Common Names: Beggars’ Ticks , Beggar-Ticks , Stick-Tights , Devil’s Beggar-Ticks , Large-Leaved Beggarticks , Devil’s-Pitchfork , Devil’s Bootjack , Sticktights , Bur Marigold , Pitchfork Weed

Scientific Names: Bidens frondosa , Bidens frondosus var. frondosus , Bidens melanocarpa , Bidens frondosa var. anomala , Bidens frondosus var. anomalus , Bidens frondosa var. frondosa , Bidens frondosa f. frondosa , Bidens frondosa f. anomala , Bidens frondosa var. stenodonta , Bidens melanocarpa var. pallida

GBIF Accepted Name: Bidens frondosa L.