Bidens
- Bidens spp.
- Beggar ticks, Sticktights, Spanish needle
Forb
Bidens is most often found in moist areas.
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, Oklahoma
Bidens flowers are yellow, 1 to 1-1/2 inches across.
Scott Sudkamp, Missouri Department of Conservation
Description
Twelve species of Bidens are known to occur in the Midwest; Bidens artistosa, B. bipinnata, and B. frondosa are among the most common. Flowers are yellow, daisylike, and about 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Some species have simple leaves, while the leaves of others are pinnately compound. Mature seeds are two- or three-pronged with small barbs and readily attach to clothes, hence the common names beggar ticks and sticktights. Bidens species tend to be found in wet or moist areas.
Bloom period
May to October
Use by bobwhites
Bidens seeds are relished by ducks and are eaten by bobwhites as well. This plant also serves as brooding cover for chicks, which are attracted to the cool, insect-rich environment in which it grows.