Bountiful Gardens

Bidens: The Tireless, Sunny Flower for Summer Gardens

Bidens ferulifolia, known simply as Bidens in the gardening world, is a cheerful and incredibly floriferous annual celebrated for its seemingly endless production of bright, star-shaped flowers. Classically adorned in a brilliant, sunny yellow, modern varieties have expanded the palette to include white, orange, and lovely bicolors. What makes Bidens so special is not just the flowers, but also its delicate, airy foliage. The finely cut, fern-like leaves create a soft texture that beautifully complements other plants. With a mounding and trailing habit, it excels as both a "filler" and a "spiller," weaving through container combinations and cascading gracefully over the edges.  Bidens is very easy to grow, making it a perfect choice for gardeners of all skill levels. It asks for very little but provides a massive return in terms of color, texture, and garden activity.

Why Bidens is a Garden Workhorse

This sun-loving plant has become a favorite for its unbeatable combination of beauty and resilience.

Non-Stop Blooming: Bidens is one of the most prolific bloomers you can grow, producing a cloud of color from the moment you plant it until the first hard frost.

Heat and Drought Tolerant: It is a tough plant that thrives in the sun and can handle periods of drought once established, making it a reliable choice for hot summer weather.

A Magnet for Pollinators: The open, daisy-like flowers are an irresistible food source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Versatile "Filler-Spiller": Its airy texture and mounding habit allow it to fill gaps in containers without overwhelming its neighbors, while its trailing stems soften the edges of pots and hanging baskets.

Low-Maintenance: Modern cultivars are self-cleaning, so no deadheading is required to keep the floral show going.

When to Plant:

The ideal time to plant Bidens is in the spring, from late May to early June, after the soil has warmed up and all danger of frost has passed.

All summer is a perfect time to plant it. It loves the heat and will establish very quickly, providing an immediate and lasting burst of sunny color.  We always have beautiful, healthy plants that will perform robustly all the way until the first frost in autumn, making it an excellent choice for filling containers or sunny spots in the garden right now.

Growing Instructions:

Sunlight: Bidens needs full sun to perform its best. At least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight will ensure the most prolific flowering.

Soil: It is not picky and thrives in average, well-draining soil. Good drainage is key, as it does not like to have "wet feet."

Watering: While drought-tolerant, Bidens will bloom much more profusely with consistent moisture. Water when the top inch of soil is dry. It's forgiving if you miss a day, but a regular watering schedule yields the best results.

Care and Maintenance: No deadheading is necessary. If the plant starts to look a bit open or leggy in late summer, you can give it an all-over trim or "haircut" by about a third. This will encourage a fresh flush of dense growth and even more flowers.

The "Two-Toothed" Hitchhiker from the Americas

The ornamental Bidens we love in our gardens are native to the arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. This origin explains their natural tolerance for sun and heat.

The botanical name, Bidens, is derived from Latin and offers a fascinating clue about the plant. It comes from bi- (meaning "two") and dens (meaning "teeth"). This name, "two-toothed," refers to the plant's seeds (achenes), which have two sharp barbs at one end. In the wild, these barbs act like hooks, allowing the seeds to latch onto the fur of passing animals or the clothing of people. This "hitchhiking" is an effective way for the plant to disperse its seeds over a wide area. While some native Bidens species can be weedy because of these persistent seeds, the cultivars developed for garden use are typically sterile or much less aggressive, giving us all the beauty without the nuisance.