Cathy Salustri
Nano,
My yard keeps getting these weeds that look like small daisies but with missing petals. I yank them out, but my neighbor said they’re actually something called Spanish Needle and that they’re really good for bees. Why don’t they have all their petals? What kinds of plants should I grow to attract pollinators to my yard?
–In the Weeds, Gulfport
Dear Weeds,
So, what’s a weed? The gardener’s lingo is “an intruder,” or the dictionary definition: “any undesirable or troublesome plant, especially one that grows profusely where it’s not wanted.” The daisy-like “weed” you describe is Bidens pilosa, a member of the compositae, or daisy, family of multi-petaled flowers, with varieties spanning the globe. Your neighbor is correct – it’s a highly important native Florida plant for pollinators and wildlife. Like many weeds, it’s instrumental in colonizing recently disturbed areas, in vacant lots – just about any place the roots gain a foothold. With long tap roots, many useful weeds draw water from deep in the ground, making it more available near the surface for many species.
And yes, it’s also called Spanish Needle, because its seeds often attach to your clothes for prolific distribution. For folks who want that “perfect” sterile lawn, it’s a real problem, but the unassuming little flower just blooms away, a ready source of nectar in its bright-yellow center, spreading its seeds through its “needles.” Some gardeners leave a small patch of yard to let such rowdy plants grow, where they can thrive and provide a food source for butterflies and other pollinators. Traditional British gardens often have a “faery spot,” a little garden corner allowed to grow wild for “the faeries.” Today there’s a new trend called “rewilding,” a term for reframing your landscape into a more natural one, encouraging nature and wildlife to flourish as urban sprawl continues to diminish habitat.
Rewilding emerged in the mid-’80s as a global movement among environmentalists, an effort to preserve our disappearing natural areas and species. Scientists estimate many species of plants, insects, and animals go extinct daily, often before their importance to humanity is discovered. Climate change, coupled with industrialization, unbridled deforestation; and urban sprawl, is threatening all life. Rewilding reclaims nature and reverses destructive tends.
If you want to go native, there are many Florida wildflowers to choose from – after all, when Juan Ponce DeLeon “discovered” the land on Easter, 1513, he named it La Florida because of the abundant blooming flowers.
Your Bidens is hardy, an advantage of natives, and requires little care, as opposed to its high-maintenance cultivar cousins. Regular mowing will keep it blooming. For foragers, Bidens is an edible bitter green (lots of vitamins), and native people have a list of its use in beneficial, herbal remedies.
If you want to delve into transforming your yard to a more natural space for pollinators and other wildlife, check out the Florida Wildflower Society and the Florida Native Plant Society for lists of plants best for your area. Remember, there are plants available in nurseries labeled “Florida Friendly.” While these will grow well here, some aren’t true natives, and may not be as beneficial for our native critters as those hardy, little “weeds,” like Spanish needle.
Have a garden or landscape question? Ask Nano at <a href=”mailto:garden@thegabber.com”>garden@thegabber.com</e>.
