Spanish Needle

Spanish Needle (Bidens alba) is a wildflower that blooms year round in South Florida. It is a source of both pollen and nectar for bees.  Many people consider it a weed because it can spread very quickly and has seeds that are hard to remove from clothing and pet’s fur.  I used to consider it a weed too until I started beekeeping and realized it is a great wildflower for them.

Bee on Spanish Needle flower

Bee on Spanish Needle flower

2 bees on Spanish Needle flowers

2 bees on Spanish Needle flowers (The second one is close to the bottom of the photo.)

Spanish Needle growing in my backyard

Spanish Needle growing in my backyard

There is an area in my backyard full of it, but I resist cutting it because I see my bees and many other native foragers enjoying the pollen and nectar this plant provides.

One comment on “Spanish Needle

  1. It looks lovely and the bees like it so what more could you ask for? I have Bidens ferulifolia.which has bright yellow flowers and I bought it for an outdoor pot. I loved it and have kept the seed but I did not notice the bees being attracted to it. Maybe it doesn’t have such tasty nectar but I’ll keep a closer eye on it next year.

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