Bidens

Bidens (Bidens ferulifolia)

Bidens is a sun-loving, long-blooming plant that keeps containers and borders bright from late spring through fall. The daisy-like flowers come in constant waves, giving you steady color without a high-maintenance routine. Its mounding to trailing habit fills gaps fast and spills naturally over edges, making mixed plantings look fuller and more finished. If you want a dependable summer workhorse that holds up in heat, bidens is a strong choice.

Distinctive Features

This plant forms a dense, well-branched mound with fine, ferny green foliage and a naturally cascading habit. It produces abundant daisy-like flowers, most commonly in golden yellow, and many garden forms also come in warm tones or bicolors depending on selection. Bloom is typically continuous from late spring into fall, and the plant stays attractive with minimal deadheading. Once established, it handles heat and short dry spells well, especially in well-drained soil.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun for best flowering, with light part shade tolerated.
• Soil: Well-drained soil or potting mix, and avoid soggy conditions.
• Water: Medium moisture to establish, then moderate watering, allowing slight drying between waterings.
• USDA Zones: 8 to 11, typically grown as an annual in colder zones.
• Mature Size: About 8 to 24 inches tall and 12 to 36 inches wide, varying by selection and culture.
• Notable Traits: Heat tolerant, drought tolerant once established, long blooming, and attractive to pollinators.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use a thick planting as a focal point in a sunny container where the nonstop blooms create a bright color mass all season.
• Hanging Baskets: Trailing stems spill cleanly over edges for a full, finished cascade.
• Window Boxes: Connects companion plants and keeps boxes looking packed with color.
• Border Edging: Creates a low, flowering ribbon at the front of sunny beds.
• Mass Planting: Plant in groups for a high-impact drift of color that lasts into fall.

Low Maintenance Care

• Watering: Water consistently during establishment, then water when the top layer dries, especially in containers.
• Feeding: Feed lightly and regularly in containers to support continuous bloom through the hottest months.
• Trimming: Shear or pinch lightly if plants stretch to refresh shape and encourage denser flowering.
• Drainage: Prioritize fast drainage to reduce stress and keep roots healthy in summer rains.
• Frost: Replace seasonally where frost ends the growing cycle.

Why Choose Bidens?

• Season-Long Bloom: Keeps producing flowers from late spring into fall with consistent performance.
• Heat Strength: Holds up well in hot, sunny conditions when many annuals slow down.
• Great Spiller: Mounding and trailing habit makes containers look fuller and more professional.
• Low Grooming: Stays attractive with simple watering and occasional light shaping.
• Pollinator Friendly: Flowers support bees and butterflies through the peak of summer.

If you want reliable, high-output color with an easy growth habit, bidens is a smart addition to sunny plantings. Give it sun, good drainage, and steady moisture in containers, then let it bloom on repeat. It pairs easily with other heat lovers and keeps arrangements looking polished for the long stretch of the season. With occasional trimming and light feeding, it will stay dense, bright, and productive until cold weather arrives.