Big Devil’s Beggartick: The Sticky Native Annual You Never Knew You Needed
Meet Bidens vulgata, better known as big devil’s beggartick – a plant whose name alone tells you it’s got some attitude! This native North American annual might not win any beauty contests, but it’s got character, ecological value, and a knack for making itself at home just about anywhere there’s moisture.
What Exactly Is Big Devil’s Beggartick?
Big devil’s beggartick (Bidens vulgata) is an annual wildflower that’s as widespread as it is tenacious. This native plant has earned its colorful common name thanks to its barbed seeds that grab onto anything that passes by – including your socks, your dog’s fur, and pretty much any fabric within reach. It’s nature’s own version of velcro, and once you’ve encountered it, you’ll never forget it!
You might also see this plant listed under several scientific synonyms, including Bidens frondosa var. puberula and Bidens puberula, but they’re all referring to the same sticky customer.
Where Does It Call Home?
This remarkably adaptable native spans an impressive range across North America. You’ll find big devil’s beggartick thriving from coast to coast and border to border, growing naturally in Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. In the United States, it’s at home in nearly every state, from Maine to California and everywhere in between – that’s 49 states plus the District of Columbia!
The Wet and Wonderful World of Wetland Plants
Here’s where things get interesting: big devil’s beggartick has different water preferences depending on where it’s growing. This plant is quite the shapeshifter when it comes to moisture needs:
- In the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain and Western Mountains regions, it’s an obligate wetland plant – meaning it almost always needs wet conditions
- In the Arid West and Midwest, it’s facultative wetland – usually preferring wet spots but tolerating drier conditions
- In the Eastern Mountains, Great Plains, and Northcentral regions, it’s truly facultative – equally happy in wet or dry locations
Should You Plant Big Devil’s Beggartick?
The honest answer? It depends on what you’re looking for and how much you enjoy impromptu seed removal sessions from your clothing!
Reasons you might want it:
- It’s a hardworking native that supports local ecosystems
- Excellent for naturalizing disturbed areas or wetland restoration projects
- Attracts small pollinators like native bees and beneficial flies
- Thrives in USDA hardiness zones 3-9, making it suitable for most of North America
- Perfect pioneer species for areas where other plants struggle
- Requires virtually no maintenance once established
Reasons you might want to think twice:
- Those barbed seeds are seriously sticky and can be annoying
- It’s not particularly showy – small yellow flowers that most people would call weedy
- Can spread aggressively and self-seed everywhere
- Not suitable for formal or manicured garden designs
Growing Big Devil’s Beggartick Successfully
If you’ve decided this plucky native deserves a spot in your wild garden or restoration project, you’re in luck – it’s almost ridiculously easy to grow!
Ideal Growing Conditions:
- Moisture: Prefers consistently moist to wet soils, though it can adapt to average moisture in some regions
- Light: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Not picky! Tolerates poor soils and disturbed ground
- pH: Adaptable to various soil pH levels
Planting and Care Tips:
- Sow seeds directly in fall or early spring – they need cold stratification
- Scatter seeds on bare soil; they don’t need deep planting
- Water regularly until established, then let nature take over
- Expect it to self-seed readily (sometimes too readily!)
- Deadhead flowers before seed formation if you want to control spread
- No fertilizer needed – this plant thrives on neglect
The Ecological Superstar You Didn’t Expect
While big devil’s beggartick might not win any garden beauty pageants, it’s an ecological powerhouse. Its small yellow flowers provide nectar for various small pollinators throughout the growing season. As a native annual, it fits perfectly into natural succession patterns and helps prepare disturbed soils for other native plants to establish.
Perfect for Wild Gardens and Natural Areas
This plant shines in informal, naturalized settings where its somewhat weedy appearance becomes an asset rather than a liability. Consider big devil’s beggartick for:
- Prairie restorations and wildflower meadows
- Rain gardens and bioswales
- Pond edges and wetland borders
- Wildlife habitat gardens
- Areas recovering from disturbance
- Low-maintenance naturalized landscapes
The Bottom Line
Big devil’s beggartick is the plant equivalent of that friend who’s a little rough around the edges but incredibly reliable and always there when you need them. It’s not going to make your formal garden Instagram-worthy, but it will quietly support your local ecosystem while asking for absolutely nothing in return – except maybe a heads-up to visitors about those sticky seeds!
If you’re looking to support native biodiversity, restore wetland areas, or simply want a no-fuss plant that thrives where others struggle, big devil’s beggartick might just be your new best friend. Just keep a lint roller handy!
