Bidens pilosa
Common beggar-ticks, Common Beggar-Ticks
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Bidens pilosa (Common beggar-ticks) is a non-native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by . Key features are white rays or no rays, and pinnate leaves.
Common beggar-ticks is a naturalized annual found in central and southern coastal California in disturbed sites at elevations generally up to 750 meters. Flowering all year, this plant produces white or yellow flowers in small heads with vestigial white ray flowers. Growing with erect square stems 30 to 180 centimeters tall, it has a glabrous or softly hairy structure. Its pinnate leaves have 3 to 5 lanceolate to ovate leaflets 2 to 6 centimeters long, often with asymmetric bases and serrated edges. The fruit is a narrow black 4-angled achene 4 to 16 millimeters long with 2 to 4 yellow bristle-like awns.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species. Key features are white rays or no rays, and pinnate leaves.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed sites
Elevation: generally <= 750 m
Outside California: subtropics, tropics worldwide
Bloom period
Bidens pilosa blooms All year.
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 pilosa native to California?
No. Bidens pilosa is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Bidens pilosa bloom?
Bidens pilosa blooms All year.
What plant family does Bidens pilosa belong to?
Bidens pilosa is in the Asteraceae family, genus Bidens.
What habitat does Bidens pilosa grow in?
Bidens pilosa grows in Disturbed sites.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.