Bidens cernua
Nodding bur-marigold, Nodding Bur-Marigold
(c) Tom Brandt, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Bidens cernua (Nodding bur-marigold) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by . Key feature is simple leaves with fused bases and nodding fruiting heads.
Nodding bur-marigold is a native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, northern Sierra Nevada, northern central Coast, and Great Basin in freshwater wetlands at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 8 to 15 millimeters long, with distinctive nodding heads that are erect when in flower and drooping when bearing fruit. Growing 1 to 9 decimeters tall with erect stems that are glabrous to short-rough-hairy, it has lance-linear to lanceolate leaves fused around the stem. Its leaves measure 4 to 20 centimeters long, with serrated edges and an acuminate tip, sessile and attached directly to the stem. The fruit is a narrowly wedge-shaped, 4-angled structure 5 to 7 millimeters long with barbed angles and typically four pappus awns.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species. Key feature is simple leaves with fused bases and nodding fruiting heads.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Freshwater wetlands
Elevation: < 2000 m
Outside California: widespread northern hemisphere
Bloom period
Bidens cernua blooms Jul-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Tagetes: Tagetes has strongly scented gland-dotted leaves; Bidens lacks strong scent and glands.; vs Dahlia: Dahlia has showy ray flowers and tuberous roots; Bidens often lacks rays and has fibrous roots.; vs Arnica: Arnica has opposite leaves throughout and mountain habitat; Bidens has mostly alternate leaves in wetlands.; vs Cosmos: Cosmos has finely dissected feathery leaves; Bidens has broader, less divided leaves.; vs Helianthus: Helianthus has rough sandpapery leaves and unbarbed pappus; Bidens has barbed stick-tight seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bidens cernua native to California?
Yes. Bidens cernua is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Bidens cernua bloom?
Bidens cernua blooms Jul-Oct.
What plant family does Bidens cernua belong to?
Bidens cernua is in the Asteraceae family, genus Bidens.
What habitat does Bidens cernua grow in?
Bidens cernua grows in Freshwater wetlands.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.