Goldilocks Rocks® bidens. Photo by: Proven Winners.

Are you in need of a colorful, easy-care plant that can take the summer heat? Then look no further than bidens. This charming member of the aster family (Asteraceae)—along with daisies, coreopsis, and sunflowers—will fill your garden with an abundance of cheerful daisy-like flowers right through the dog days of summer and well into fall. In addition to defying blazing heat, this sturdy plant can also handle occasional periods of drought, making it a great choice for drier climates.

Available in both trailing and upright forms, bidens work equally well in garden beds and container plantings. Use trailing varieties as spillers in hanging baskets, window boxes, and mixed container arrangements. Upright types are ideal for use in mass plantings and to brighten the front of the border. No matter where you plant them, their vibrantly colored, nectar-rich flowers are sure to attract a steady parade of pollinators, especially bees and butterflies.

On this page: Basics | Planting | Care | Pictures | Design Ideas | Frequently Asked Questions

On this page:

BASICS

Botanical name:

Bidens ferulifolia

Common names:

Bidens, Apache beggartick, fern-leaved beggartick

Plant type:

Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)

Zones:

9-11

Native range:

Mexico and Southwest U.S.

Mature size:

8 to 12 inches tall, 10 to 24 inches wide

Exposure:

Full sun

Bloom time:

Late spring until the first frost

Flowers:

May be yellow, red, orange, gold, pink, white, or bi-colored, with prominent yellow or orange centers.

Foliage:

Triangular or lance-shaped green leaves have serrated margins, giving them a finely toothed or fern-like appearance.

Special attributes:

  • Heat and drought tolerant
  • Excellent for cutting
  • Deer resistant
  • Nontoxic to people and pets

PLANTING BIDENS

Pollinator planting with Goldilocks Rocks® bidens, Rockin'® Playin' The Blues® salvia, and Vermillionaire® cuphea. Photo by: Proven Winners

When to plant:

Plant outdoors in the spring after all risk of frost has passed.

Where to plant:

For optimal blooming, choose a location that receives ample sunlight, aiming for at least 6 hours daily. Although Bidens will tolerate part shade, they won’t bloom to their full potential and plants may become lanky. If your garden lacks a spot that receives full sun, consider planting bidens in a container that you can place on sunny deck or patio.

Soil:

Bidens prefer well-drained soil rich in organic matter. If the soil is heavy or compacted, work some compost or other organic matter into the ground before planting to improve drainage and fertility.

Growing in containers:

When planting bidens in containers, use a free-draining soilless potting mix fortified with a slow-release fertilizer. Bidens do not tolerate waterlogged soil, so be sure to choose a container that has holes at the bottom for good drainage.

Growing from seed:

You can grow some types of Bidens from seed, with the exception of non-seeding sterile hybrids. To get a head start on the growing season, sow seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date in your area, and then transplant the seedlings into your garden beds once the soil warms up in the spring. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart (depending on their size at maturity) to allow for adequate air circulation.

BIDENS CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Campfire® Marshmallow™ (Bidens hybrid).
Photo by: Proven Winners

Watering:

Although Bidens are drought-tolerant once established, they will do better with regular watering, especially container-grown plants. A helpful guideline is to give your plants about an inch of water per week, allowing the top few inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot.

Fertilizing:

To keep your bidens full of blooms throughout the growing season, feed them every 4 to 6 weeks with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer. Another option is to work a slow-release granular fertilizer into the soil at planting time. Plants grown in containers may need more frequent feeding to replace nutrients that get washed out of the soil. Avoid overfertilizing, which can lead to excessive foliage growth at the expense of flower production.

Pruning and deadheading:

Most Bidens don't need pruning, but if your plants become leggy or threaten to outgrow their space, simply give them a light trim and they will soon be covered with a fresh flush of blooms. Because bidens flowers are self-cleaning, there is no need for deadheading.

Propagating:

From seed or stem cuttings.

Pests and problems:

Bidens are relatively pest and disease resistant, but they can be susceptible to aphids, spider mites, and powdery mildew. To discourage powdery mildew and other fungal diseases, maintain adequate spacing between plants to improve airflow.

BIDENS VARIETIES

Swipe to view slides

Photo by: Proven Winners

Goldilocks Rocks®Buy now or find a local retailer
Bidens ferulifolia

Size:

8 to 12 inches tall, 10 to 20 inches wide

Bright gold daisy-like flowers up to 3 inches across bloom continuously from spring until frost against a backdrop of delicate fern-like foliage. A mounding and trailing habit makes this bidens useful as both a filler and spiller in mixed container arrangements.

Photo by: Proven Winners

Campfire® FlameBuy now or find a local retailer
Bidens hybrid

Size:

10 to 12 inches tall, 10 to 16 inches wide

Reddish orange petals radiating from deep yellow centers give these blooms a warm glow, like the flame from a campfire. In the fall as temperatures get cooler, the flowers mellow to a lovely golden orange, extending the season of interest right up until the first hard frost.

Photo by: Proven Winners

Campfire® Marshmallow™Buy now or find a local retailer
Bidens hybrid

Size:

8 to 14 inches tall, 16 to 20 inches wide

Pure white, daisy-like flowers with golden yellow centers shed their petals cleanly once spent, so no deadheading is needed to maintain a tidy appearance. For the greatest impact, plant this nonstop bloomer en masse.

Photo by: Proven Winners

Beedance® Painted RedBuy now or find a local retailer
Bidens ferulifolia

Size:

8 to 12 inches tall, 10 to 24 inches wide

With their honey-like fragrance and brilliant red and yellow coloration, this Bidens striking blooms are irresistible to bees. Although the flowers do not set seed, they do produce plenty of pollen to keep bees well-fed. A perfect addition to a pollinator garden, along with other bee-friendly garden flowers.

Photo by: larsengunnar / Shutterstock

Blazing™ Star Bidens ferulifolia

Size:

12 to 14 inches tall and wide

Yellow blooms with bold red stripes are larger than those of other varieties. A mounded, well-branched habit makes this plant a great choice for containers and the front of the border.

DESIGN IDEAS

Edging plant, mass plantings, containers, hanging baskets, cottage gardens, pollinator gardens, water-wise gardens.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is bidens a perennial or an annual?

Bidens can be grown as an annual or tender perennial, depending on the climate. In warmer regions (zones 9 and above), it is typically grown as a perennial, while in colder areas it is treated as an annual because it won’t survive exposure to freezing temperatures. In frost-free climates, plants will stop blooming in late fall and winter, but the flowers will return again in spring.

How do you keep bidens blooming?

As long as you give Bidens full sun, sufficient water, and occasional feedings, they should bloom continuously from late spring through fall. Although plants will tolerate partial shade, they won’t bloom as prolifically.

Do hummingbirds like bidens?

Although hummingbirds usually flock to tubular-shaped blooms, bidens are an exception. The brightly colored flowers, which are rich in both nectar and pollen, are a real magnet for hummingbirds. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects are also attracted to the sweetly scented blooms.

Do I need to deadhead bidens?

Most newer varieties of Bidens are sterile, which means that instead of going to seed, they will continue to produce blooms all summer long, even without deadheading.

What are good companion plants for bidens flower?

Bidens’ vibrantly colored flowers pair well with many different sun-loving annuals including petunias, calibrachoa, verbena, scaevola, lantana, and cuphea .

Bidens with yellow blooms (such as Goldilocks Rocks®) are particularly striking when combined with purple, blue, or white flowers. Examples include trailing lobelia, angelonia, Diamond Frost® euphorbia, and Supertunia® Royal Velvet®. For more ideas, see these bidens container recipes from Proven Winners.

RELATED:
21 Easy Flowers
How to Start a Flower Garden
12 Summer Flowers

JOIN 100,000 GARDEN LOVERS Sign up for weekly gardening inspiration and design tips

Get plant information, gardening solutions, design inspiration and more in our weekly newsletter.


* Required Fields
We will never sell or distribute your email to any other parties or organizations.

More about the newsletter

Follow Us Garden Design Magazine Facebook Garden Design Magazine Twitter Garden Design Magazine Pinterest Garden Design Magazine Instagram Garden Design Magazine Youtube