Bidens frondosa
Sticktight, Sticktight
(c) Andrew Conboy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Bidens frondosa (Sticktight) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by . Key features are square stems, pinnate leaves, and orange disk flowers.
Sticktight is a native annual herb found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, northern coastal California, southwestern California, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert in damp, often disturbed sites at elevations up to 2,100 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces yellow flowers in small heads with occasional ray flowers and distinctive orange disk centers. Growing with square stems 50 to 120 centimeters tall, it develops a robust and branching habit. Its pinnately compound leaves have 2 to 8 centimeter long lanceolate leaflets with sharply pointed tips and serrated edges. The distinctive fruit is a narrow, wedge-shaped dark seed 6 to 10 millimeters long with two persistent awns, giving the plant its common name of "sticktight".
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species. Key features are square stems, pinnate leaves, and orange disk flowers.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Damp soil, especially disturbed sites
Elevation: generally <= 2100 m
Outside California: to eastern North America
Bloom period
Bidens frondosa blooms Jun-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 frondosa native to California?
Yes. Bidens frondosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Bidens frondosa bloom?
Bidens frondosa blooms Jun-Oct.
What plant family does Bidens frondosa belong to?
Bidens frondosa is in the Asteraceae family, genus Bidens.
What habitat does Bidens frondosa grow in?
Bidens frondosa grows in Uncommon. Damp soil, especially disturbed sites.
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.