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Bidens laevis (Linnaeus) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenburg. Common name: Showy Bur-marigold. Phenology: Aug-Nov. Habitat: Marshes, stream banks, ditches. Distribution: ME, NY, IN, MO, NV, and CA southward.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, Fl7, FNA21, G, GW2, Il, K4, Mex, NcTx, NE, NY, Ok, Pa, RAB, SE1, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WH3, Sherff & Alexander (1955); < Bidens cernua L. — Oh3; > Bidens laevis (L.) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenb. — S; > Bidens nashii Small — S; Helianthus laevis Linnaeus — (basionym)

Links to other floras: = Bidens laevis - FNA21

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
  • Great Plains: OBL
  • Midwest: OBL
  • Northcentral & Northeast: OBL

Heliophily ⓘ: 7

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image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Lowell Urbatsch | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Lowell Urbatsch | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Lowell Urbatsch | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Lowell Urbatsch | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Lowell Urbatsch | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Bidens laevis, Lake Guntersville, TVA Reservation, Jackson County, Alabama 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Bidens laevis, Lake Guntersville, TVA Reservation, Jackson County, Alabama 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect annual/perennial with prostrate, elongate, rooting bases, found in marshes, pond edges, stream banks and ditches.

Stems: Stems unbranched to freely branched and smooth.

Leaves: Leaves opposite, usually sessile, oval or lance-shaped, 1 1/2-6 in. long, not lobed, finely toothed and smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) 1-several terminating stem, erect or often nodding in age; heads 1 1/2-2 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 7-8 yellow ray florets encircling a slightly domed central disk of dark yellow, 5-lobed tubular florets; 2 series of bracts--the inner pale yellow and oval and the outer green and narrower--surround the base of each head.

Fruits: Fruit a flat or angled achene with 2-4 barbed awns.

Comments: Similar to Bidens cernua; ray florets of B. laevis are at least as long as the outer bracts.

Height: 1-3 ft. (occasionally to 7 ft.)

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect annual/perennial with prostrate, elongate, rooting bases, found in marshes, pond edges, stream banks and ditches.

stems: Stems unbranched to freely branched and smooth.

leaves: Leaves opposite, usually sessile, oval or lance-shaped, 1 1/2-6 in. long, not lobed, finely toothed and smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) 1-several terminating stem, erect or often nodding in age; heads 1 1/2-2 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 7-8 yellow ray florets encircling a slightly domed central disk of dark yellow, 5-lobed tubular florets; 2 series of bracts--the inner pale yellow and oval and the outer green and narrower--surround the base of each head.

fruits: Fruit a flat or angled achene with 2-4 barbed awns.

comments: Similar to Bidens cernua; ray florets of B. laevis are at least as long as the outer bracts.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:

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