Native Plants
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.
Bidens alba
Bidens alba (L.) DC.
Common Beggarticks, Shepherd's Needles, Spanish Needles, Butterfly Needles, Hairy Beggarticks, Romerillo
Asteraceae (Aster Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: bial
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), HI (I), PR (N), VI (I)
Common Beggarticks is a member of the aster family (family Asteraceae), which includes herbs, sometimes shrubs or vines, rarely trees, with simple or compound, alternate or opposite leaves. Flowers small, but organized into larger heads resembling a single, radially symmetrical flower cupped by a ring of green bracts. Flower-like heads: tiny, radially symmetrical central flowers form the disc; larger flowers around the edge, the rays, strap-shaped and resembling petals; however, all flowers in one head may be disc flowers or rays.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: AnnualHabit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 8 feet tall, often much shorter.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , YellowBloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec
Distribution
USA: AL , CT , FL , GA , HI , LA , MO , PAValue to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
Florida Duskywing (Ephyriades brunnea) Adult Food Source |
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Natural Biodiversity - Johnstown, PA
Wildflower Center Seed Bank
LBJWC-1295 Collected 2009-05-28 in Harris County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower CenterBibliography
Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Additional resources
USDA: Find Bidens alba in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Bidens alba in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Bidens alba
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-01-02Research By: TWC Staff