Big devils beggarticks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big devils beggarticks |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Bidens
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| Species: |
vulgata
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Bidens vulgata is a type of flowering plant. It is often called big devils beggarticks or tall beggarticks. This plant belongs to the daisy family, which includes many familiar flowers. Think of sunflowers and dandelions!
This plant is originally from eastern and central North America. You can find it from Nova Scotia in Canada all the way down to northern Georgia. It also grows as far west as the Rocky Mountains.
Sometimes, Bidens vulgata spreads to new places. When it grows somewhere it wasn't originally from, it's called an introduced species. You can now find it on the West Coast of North America and in parts of Europe.
Contents
What Tall Beggarticks Look Like
Bidens vulgata is an annual herb. This means it completes its whole life cycle in one year. It grows a stem that is usually hairy. The stem is often about 30 to 50 centimeters (12 to 20 inches) tall. But it can grow much taller, sometimes over 100 centimeters (about 40 inches)!
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this plant are interesting. Each leaf is made up of several smaller, long, and narrow leaflets. These leaflets can be up to 8 centimeters (about 3 inches) long.
The plant produces several small flower heads. These are not single flowers, but clusters of many tiny flowers. The center of each flower head has yellow disc florets. Around the edge, there are usually 3 to 5 yellow ray florets. These ray florets are only a few millimeters long. Sometimes, a flower head might not have any ray florets at all.
Seeds and How They Travel
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces fruit. The fruit is a flat, dry seed called an achene. This achene has two sharp, pointy parts at one end. These pointy parts are like tiny hooks or barbs.
These barbs are very clever! They help the seeds stick to animal fur or people's clothes. This is how the seeds travel to new places. It's a great way for the plant to spread its offspring far and wide.
Where Tall Beggarticks Grow
Bidens vulgata loves wet places. You will often find it growing in areas with a lot of moisture. This includes places like swamps and marshes. It also grows along the banks of streams and rivers. These damp environments are perfect for this plant to thrive.
