Shepherd's needle

• ​Common Name: Shepherd's needle
  
• Scientific Name: Bidens alba
  
• Family Name: Asteraceae
  
• Origin: America's
• Height: 1 to 3 ft
  
• Width: 1 to 3 ft
  
• Growth: Fast
  
• Zone: USDA Zones 8 through 11
  
• Light needs: Full sun
  
• Salt tolerance: Low
  
• Soil/pH/Texture: Tolerates a wide range of soil types and a wide pH range.
  
• Moisture: Moderate water needs. It is very tolerant of dry conditions and does not need regular watering.
  
• Drought tolerance: High
  
• Pests/Diseases: No pests or diseases are of particular concern.
  
• Growing conditions: This is a very adaptable plant that can survive in many different conditions. It should be grown in full sun, but it doesn’t have any particular requirements for soil type or pH. It is very drought tolerant and requires little watering. It grows and spreads quickly and can become weedy, so it may need to be cut back to keep it under control.
  
• Characteristics: This spreading plant forms low, dense thickets along the ground. The leaves grow oppositely with alternating simple and compound leaves. The leaves are ovate with a serrate edge. Flowers grow on the ends of stems and have five to eight white petals surrounding a yellow center. The fruit and seeds are inconspicuous.
  
• Propagation: By seeds
  
• Wildlife: It is a favorite of pollinator insects such as butterflies and bees. The caterpillars of the Dainty Sulphur butterfly eat the leaves.
  
• Facts: The leaves and flowers are edible. In Florida, this plant is the third most common source of nectar for honey.
  
• Designer considerations: It is a must-have for butterfly gardens due to its merit as both a nectar plant and caterpillar host plant. It also makes a good ground cover plant.
  

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Shepherd's needle

Location

Butterfly Garden