Beggar Ticks, Devil's beggartick
Bidens frondosa
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
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.
Height (m): 1.5
Where it is found
Damp ground in waste places in California.
N. America - Nova Scotia to British Columbia, south to Florida and California.
Conservation Status: Least Concern.
Countries/locations it is found in
Canada (Alberta, British Columbia - Introduced, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland I, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward I., Québec, Saskatchewan); United States (Alabama, Alaska, Aleutian Is., Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming)
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Young leaves and stems - cooked.
Medicine
Rating: 2
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).
Urinary: Treats urinary problems, including urinary tract infection (UTI).
Other
Rating: 1
An Ornamental.
How it is grown
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.
Propagating it: 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.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
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.
Its other names
Local names
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.