Bidens alba Live Plants | Spanish Needles

Bring cheerful white flowers with golden-yellow centers to your garden with Bidens alba, commonly called Spanish needles. This flowering plant provides nectar and pollen for visiting pollinators and suits informal garden spaces where its natural growth can be enjoyed. 

Plant details

• Botanical name: Bidens alba
• Common name: Spanish needles
• Product: Live plants, not seeds
• Flowers: White petals surrounding yellow centers
• Garden use: Pollinator gardens and informal flower beds

Planting and care

Choose a sunny to partly shaded position with well-drained soil. Water after planting and keep the root area evenly moist while the plant establishes, avoiding waterlogged conditions. Gradually acclimate plants to outdoor sun and wind before planting out.

Managing self-seeding

Spanish needles can self-seed readily. Its mature seeds have barbed tips that may cling to clothing or animal fur. Remove spent flower heads before seeds mature to help limit spread, and check local guidance before planting where this species may be considered a weed.

After arrival

Unpack promptly, check soil moisture, and allow the plants to recover in a sheltered, bright position before moving them into stronger sunlight. Enjoy watching pollinators visit the small daisy-like blooms.