Butterfly Needles - Bidens alba

Butterfly needles (Bidens alba) is an underappreciated workhorse in the garden. Also commonly known as Spanish needles, Sheperd's needles and beggerticks.  It is a repeat bloomer with dainty white daisy-like petals surrounding tiny yellow flowers that bloom year-round in Florida. An annual or short-lived perennial herb that can grow as tall as 3-5' and 1-3' wide, Butterfly needles are great companions to dune sunflower (Helianthus debilis) and Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). Perhaps more importantly, though, it's a plant with incredible importance to our native wildlife. Butterfly needles tolerate full sun to partial shade and soil that ranges from moist to dry. If you are looking for a great filler plant that provides a wealth of help to our native pollinators, birds, and butterflies, why not add some to your garden? You can even grow it in a pot to help manage it if that is a concern. To thicken it to be more shrub like, simply sprinkle more seeds in the area you are trying t