*Bidens pilosa Linnaeus. Habitat: Disturbed areas, ballast, waste areas near wool-combing mill. Distribution: Native of tropical America. Reported for NC (Kartesz 1999), perhaps based on confusion with B. alba; known from ballast in se. PA (Rhoads & Klein 1993).
Origin/Endemic status: Neotropics
Synonymy ⓘ: = Fl7, NE, WH3; = n/a — C, F, Pa, Tat; < Bidens pilosa L. — FNA21, K4, RAB, Lizarazu et al (2024); > Bidens pilosa L. var. bimucronata (Turczaninov) Sch.-Bip. — Sherff & Alexander (1955); > Bidens pilosa L. var. pilosa — Sherff & Alexander (1955); Bidens pilosa L. — (basionym)
Links to other floras: < Bidens pilosa - FNA21
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Great Plains: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Midwest: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Northcentral & Northeast: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.








Feedback
See something wrong or missing on about Bidens pilosa? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, or reclining with the tip ascending, annual/short-lived perennial of wet disturbed areas. Native of tropical America and weedy and invasive worldwide.
Stems: Stems grooved, branched, often rooting at lower nodes, smooth or with short soft hairs in the upper part.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, mostly pinnately divided into 3-7, lance-shaped to oval, sharply toothed lobes; with soft, short hairs on both surfaces.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) usually solitary or in open, terminal cluster; heads about 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 5-8 white, broadly elliptic, toothed ray florets (may be absent) encircling a central disk of yellowish, tubular florets; 2 series of bracts surround the bell-shaped base of each head.
Fruits: Fruit a slightly curved, 4-angled black achene, tapered at both ends and usually with 2-3 barbed awns.
Comments:
Height: 8-30 in. (may be much taller)
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, or reclining with the tip ascending, annual/short-lived perennial of wet disturbed areas. Native of tropical America and weedy and invasive worldwide.
stems: Stems grooved, branched, often rooting at lower nodes, smooth or with short soft hairs in the upper part.
leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, mostly pinnately divided into 3-7, lance-shaped to oval, sharply toothed lobes; with soft, short hairs on both surfaces.
inflorescence:
flowers: Composite flowers (heads) usually solitary or in open, terminal cluster; heads about 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 5-8 white, broadly elliptic, toothed ray florets (may be absent) encircling a central disk of yellowish, tubular florets; 2 series of bracts surround the bell-shaped base of each head.
fruits: Fruit a slightly curved, 4-angled black achene, tapered at both ends and usually with 2-3 barbed awns.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: