Photos above by: June Wilkinson Photo by: Carolyn Hendry

Beggar Ticks,

Spanish Needles

Bidens alba

BYE-dens AL-bah

Asteraceae

Native to: Native to Florida

Florida abundance and distribution:   Very abundant, throughout zone 7 to 10,  prefers full sun and good soil.  One of the most abundant, conspicuous, and bothersome (sticktights) weeds in South Florida

Recognition:  Herbaceous, stalks ridged and leaves scratchy underneath.  Leaves opposite, entire or Pinnately compound, with serrate margins and acute tips. Seedlike fruits (achenes) long, thin (the size of a long rice grain), black and arranged in an orb.  They have paired hooked teeth at the top end.  As a person or an animal passes, these black “needles” cling to fur, pants or socks.  Seeds find their way to the ground where they lay dormant--waiting up to 3 years before germinating.  Blooming is all year.

Easily confused species: Tridax has simple leaves, conspicuously 3-notched ray flowers, extensive pubescence, and parachute-type fruits (vs. sticktights).  There are additional species of Bidens in Florida.  Bidens mitis and B. laevis have yellow flower heads.  Bidens bipinnata, sometimes called "Spanish needles", a name that is more commonly associated with the usually more northern (unusual in south Florida), is a taller plant that has darker green double compound (vs. once-compound) leaves and fruits with 3 (vs. 2) horns.

Other: Attracts butterflies.  Tender leaves are edible.

Contributed by: June Wilkinson & Carolyn Hendry