Bidens Flower | How to Grow and Care?

The name Bidens flower or plant may seem new. Still, chances are you’ve already encountered this vigorous grower producing vibrant daisy-like blossoms. And indoors, you can find these flowers spilling down both sides of pots and over the rims of hanging baskets. Over 200 species of Bidens plants can primarily be found in the wild.

Bidens plants produce vibrant and abundant gold, pink, white, red, or orange blooms. Their delicate foliage offers a light, airy texture. It serves as a subtle backdrop, allowing the stunning floral show to take center stage.

Bidens are mainly annual plant types in colder climates. Still, suppose you stay in warmer climates where winter temperatures stay above 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit. In that case, you will mostly encounter perennial Biden plants.

Though the plant loses its blossoms in the late autumn and winter months, its lovely foliage remains green throughout the year. This feature makes Bidens an excellent in-house plant.

In this article, you will learn how to plant and care for Bidens flowers/ plants on your own. Follow the sections below, and by the end, you will likely become an expert in growing this plant indoors or on your lawn.

Essential Facts About Bidens Flowers

To begin with, let us focus on some of the basic facts about Biden flowers. These will help understand the flowers, the plant, its features, and other characteristics.

Common name	Bidens
Botanic name	Bidens
Native to	Africa, Americas, Asia, and Europe
Bloom time	May to October
Family	Asteraceae
Plant type	Annual/ Perennial
Mature size	6-12” tall; 1-3 feet wide
Soil type	Rich and well-drained
Exposure	Full Sunlight
Hardiness zone	8 to 11
Flower color	Red, Orange, White, Pink, Yellow

Varieties of Bidens Plants

There are several varieties of Bidens you can find out there. We have listed some of the most commonly found and grown types out of them.

#1. White Delights

This type looks more like white daisies. With yellow center and white spikey petals, the White Delights are favorites of bees and butterflies. This variety tends to grow 4 inches tall and wide.

#2. Blazing Fire

Standing true to its name, the Blazing Fire flowers have a yellow center and petals in yellow and orange by color. This plant can grow up to 10 inches tall and wide.

#3. Campfire

This is a flaming orange variety of Bidens flower. They look fantastic if planted indoors. The Campfire variety loves sunlight and shade and requires at least 6 hours of sun exposure daily. The maximum range of height this plant can reach is between 8 and 10 inches.

#4. Doubloon

Doubloon plants produce bright sun-kissed flowers that remind of happy summer days. These are easy to care for plants and can tolerate a high temperature. Doubloons are hummingbirds’ favorite and can grow up to 6 inches.

Growing Bidens

By now, we are sure you are convinced to grow the Bidens plant in your home or your backyard. So, assuming so, we are proceeding towards the steps and requirements needed to grow this plant.

This section will specifically focus on growing Bidens flowers in the garden or lawn, i.e., outdoor.

Best Time to Grow

The foremost thing to consider before planting Bidens is the most suitable time to plant them.

The answer to this query is in spring. Since, Bidens plant will die once the temperature starts falling in the winter months, if you plant it in spring, it will get sufficient time to give your the flowers.

However, if winter in your area is relatively milder or moderate, you can also plan Bidens in the fall.

Here, you must note that Bidens are frost-sensitive, which means they will die if the temperature goes beyond 40°F or 5°C. So, to be precise, grow these plants as you would grow any annual flowering plant variety.

Location

After deciding on the month, now it’s time to choose the ideal location.

Bidens flowers love to get soaked in sunlight and grow in any area that receives partial to full daylight. Therefore, the ideal place to plant your Bidens would be somewhere that gets 4- 6 hours of direct sun per day.

So what if you want to grow these plants indoors? Well, try to keep them in spots that receive at least partial daylight, as the windowpane. Although Bidens plants can survive in the shade, they will procure fewer flowers in such situations.

Soil

The soil requirement for these plants is moist and well-drained. Make sure that your chosen area does not allow water to clog. A consistent soggy soil may cause root rotting. In addition, these plants produce abundant blossoms if planted in solid rich in nutrients.

As far as the acidic level is concerned, Biden plants can tolerate neutral to slightly acidic soil.

Sun Exposure

We have already suggested planting these annual plants in an area that receives good sun exposure- around 4- 6 hours daily.

Water

One of the best things about Bidens plants is that they are drought resistant, which means once they are established, they won’t demand a high level of watering. However, you should not let the soil dry out completely if you want your plants to produce lovely and colorful blooms.

Spacing

The ideal spacing between two plants is 12 to 16 inches.

Steps to Plant Bidens Plants

• Break the soil in the area where you want to plant your Bidens.
• Amend the soil by mixing it with organic matter such as manure, peat moss, or garden compost. Make sure to loosen up the ground for better compost permeation.
• You can also add a granulated starter fertilizer or a balanced all-purpose feed to give an extra boost to your plant’s growth.
• Depending on the number of plants you want to grow, manage the spacing. You can refer to the above section to learn more.

(Note: Overcrowded Plants may lead to fewer blooms, and the growth may also get retarded as they compete for light.)

• Remove and transplant the seedlings or the stem cuttings from their initial pots or containers to the amended soil.
• However, before planting the seedlings, dig a hole in the ground twice the size of the root ball and deep enough for the plant to be at the same level in the background.
• Place the root inside the hole and fill it with soil.
• Make sure to even out the leveling soil.
• Water the newly transplanted seedlings regularly for a couple of weeks to help them get established.

Growing Bidens Plants in Containers

If you want, you can grow Bidens indoors as well, and as we stated, these plants make excellent hanging flower baskets.

If you plan to grow Biden plants from seeds, it is advisable to sow the seeds by the end of May and keep your pot in a warm spot where it maintains room temperature. Since your plant won’t tolerate a chill environment, you can keep the container in a place with access to a room heater during the winter months.

It is important to note that the size of your container would decide the number of plants you can plant in it. For instance,

• 4-inch pot- 1 plant
• 6-inch pot- 2 plants
• 10-inch pot- 3- 4 plants

Also, remember to fertilize your container plant more frequently than do the outdoor one. It is essential as a rich and nutritious soil is crucial for Bidens flowers to bloom.

Bidens Propagation

Bidens plants can be propagated through seeds as well as stem cuttings.

Propagating by Seeds

Bidens seeds tend to be dark brown, curved, and sticky, and if you go close to these plants, they may get stuck to your clothes.

If you want to propagate these plants by seeds, allow them to dry on the plant before harvesting. After collecting the dry seeds, you can sow them directly in a potting tray. Make sure to sow the seeds shallowly in moist and rich potting soil. Also, try to maintain a temperature of 66°F or 19°C to encourage sprouting.

It will take around 1- 3 weeks for the seeds to germinate, and once they start to grow leaves, you can transplant them to the final spot.

However, wait until the last frost date is over if you plan to sow the seed directly in the outdoor location. Doing so is essential, as Bidens seeds require a warm weather condition to grow.

Propagating by Stem Cuttings

You can also propagate Bidens plants by stem cuttings, apart from the seeds. You would need a stem cutting of 2- 6 inches to do this. Here, you must ensure to cut the stem from branch tips that do not have any flowers or seeds.

Dipping the stem in the rooting hormone is optional, although it may result in better growth. It would take somewhere around 3- 6 weeks for the cutting to root. Afterward, you can plant it in moist, nutrient-rich potting soil and water it frequently.

Caring for Bidens Flower

Like the planting process, caring for this flowering plant is also hassle-free. Bidens plant is hardy and will require minimum care to survive.

Watering

As we stated earlier, Bidens are hardy plants and drought-resistant. So, all you would need is to keep their soil moist and water them moderately. It is ideal for providing this plant with about an inch of water weekly.

Remember to water only around the root of your plant.

Humidity

Although this plant can survive in almost every environment, a low humidity level is preferable except for the chilling cold. Also, Bidens can grow pretty dense, for which proper ventilation is a must.

Pruning

Deadheading or frequent pruning is not essential, but occasional pinching back or pruning can be fruitful if you want to boost flower production. Pruning can prove helpful, especially if you have planted Bidens in handing a flower basket or shallow container indoors.

Fertilizing

Bidens plant is grown and flourishes in rich soil. So, if you are planting your plant in humus soil, you may not need to fertilize it frequently. However, if you need to fertilize, you should use a general-purpose fertilizer or a time-released fertilizer.

Pests and Diseases

Bidens is a very hardy plant, which gets reflected by its ability to resist pest attacks and diseases. Nonetheless, w suggest you scout for pests like aphids, downy mildew, whiteflies, and thrips.

As far as diseases are concerned, Bidens plants can get affected by botrytis and pythium. Therefore, we suggest you use broad-spectrum fungicides in case of a severe turn of situations.

Plants That go Well With Bidens

Angelonia

Much like the Bidnes flowers, Angelonias are also hardy and drought-resistant flowers. You can plant Angelonias with Bidens to create an eye-pleasing contrast.

Petunia

You can plant golden and purple petunias with Bidens flowers to create a mesmerizing and colorful combination in your garden.

Coreopsis

If you want to attract more butterflies in your garden, think of combining planting of Bidens and Coreopsis. They would indeed form a bright splash of color.

Conclusion

So, you see, growing Bidens flowers can be the easiest thing you have even done as a part of gardening. These plants are hardy and will tolerate almost any weather condition. All you would need to do is plant them in rich soil, water the area regularly, and fertilize them occasionally.

That’s it! You are done! Now just wait and enjoy a vibrant color show throughout the summer months.