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Bidens frondosa - L.

Common Name Beggar Ticks, Devil's beggartick
Family Asteraceae or Compositae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Damp ground in waste places in California[71].
Range N. America - Nova Scotia to British Columbia, south to Florida and California.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (1 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Full sun
Bidens frondosa Beggar Ticks, Devil


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dalgial
Bidens frondosa Beggar Ticks, Devil
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fornax

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Bidens frondosa is a ANNUAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft). It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, hover-flies.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses:

Young leaves and stems - cooked[173, 177].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Urinary

According to Rahman et al. (2011) B. frondosa is potentially a useful source of essential oil extracts with antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Infusions and tinctures of B. frondosa have a wide range of medicinal properties. They can be used for treatment of irritation, inflammation, pain and bleeding of the urinary tract mucosa and are used for benign prostatic hypertrophy and increasing excretion of uric acid and decreasing the risk of gout attacks (Flora of North America, 2014) [1d].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

An Ornamental.

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will succeed outdoors in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed in most parts of the country when grown as a spring-sown annual. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in any moderately fertile moisture-retentive soil in full sun[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in May. Alternatively, a sowing in situ in mid to late spring can be tried.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

bur marigold; devil's beggarticks; devil's bootjack; devil's pitchfork; pitchfork weed; spanish needles [teleomorph]; sticktights; tickseed sunflower. Spanish: cáñamo de agua americano. French: biden feuillu; bident à fruits noirs. Chinese: da lang pa cao. Czech Republic: dvouzubec. Germany: Dichtbelaubter Zweizahn; Schwartzfrüchtiger. Hungary: feketés farkasfog. Italy: forbicina peduncolata. Netherlands: Zwart tandzaad. Portugal: erva-rapa. Sweden: fläderskära.

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia), United States (Alaska, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida (north), Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, District of Columbia, New Mexico, Texas (east), Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

The majority of introductions into new countries are intentional, due to the medicinal, herbal and decorative properties ascribed to the species. However, seeds can be accidentally dispersed into new areas as they can adhere firmly to animal fibres such as wool. In Europe B. frondosa has been reported to outcompete and interbreed with native plant species in particular those of the same genus. B. frondosa is classified as an environmental weed in New Zealand [1d].

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Least Concern.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Bidens aureaArizona beggarticksPerennial1.0 7-10  LMHNM10 
Bidens bigeloviiBigelow's beggarticksPerennial0.8 0-0  LMHNM10 
Bidens bipinnataSpanish NeedlesAnnual1.0 0-0  LMHNM220
Bidens biternata Annual0.0 -  LMHNM01 
Bidens parviflora Annual0.6 -  LMHNM11 
Bidens pilosaBeggar's Ticks, Blackjack, Hairy beggarticksAnnual1.0 0-0  LMHNM221
Bidens tripartitaBurr Marigold, Threelobe beggarticksAnnual0.6 5-9  LMHNMWe221

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

71235

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

david   Mon Dec 28 2009

Common vegetable & medicinal plant (doesn't say what for) in Africa (From"An Illustrated Guide to Common Weeds of New Zealand"). One seems to have smuggled itself into my garden with some purchased nursery plants, lucky me! Growing in a spot with very little sun.

   Aug 10 2012 12:00AM

I am currently studying herbal medicine outside of Asheville, NC at Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine. My teacher, CoreyPine Shane, uses this species of Bidens as a decongestant, and in this way it is similar to Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisifolia. I find Bidens frondosa to work more strongly as a decongestant than Ambrosia.

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