SafePlants

Estuary Beggarticks (Bidens hyperborea)

Bidens hyperborea, commonly known as estuary beggarticks, northern beggar-ticks, or estuary bur-marigold, is a flowering plant species found in coastal environments.

Common Names

• Estuary Beggarticks
• Northern Beggar-ticks
• Estuary Bur-marigold
• Seacliff Beggarticks
• Coastal Beggarticks
• Northern Estuarine

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Bidens hyperborea Greene
• Family: Asteraceae (Aster family) / Composite family
• Genus: Bidens L.
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Synonyms:
  • Bidens hyperborea Greene var. hyperborea
  • Bidens hyperborea var. gaspensis
  • Bidens hyperborea var. colpophila Fernald auct.
  • Bidens eatonii non Fernald
• Related Species:
  • Bidens bidentoides (Estuarine Beggarticks)
  • Bidens vulgata (tall beggarticks)
  • Bidens amplissima Greene (Vancouver Island beggarticks)
  • Bidens laevis (Smooth beggartick)
  • Bidens eatonii
  • Bidens cernua (Nodding Beggarticks)

Distribution and Habitat

• Bidens hyperborea is a coastal species, often found in estuaries.
• Specifically mentioned locations include the Hudson River estuaries, the Connecticut River Estuary, and tidal wetlands.
• It also grows in tidal freshwater areas.

Morphological Characteristics

• Estuary Beggarticks is an annual forb/herb, meaning it is a non-woody plant that is not a grass.
• It can reach a height of up to half a meter.
• The plant produces one to a few flowering heads.

Ecological Role

• Grows in tidal freshwater, found only in 5 states (S2 G3G4)
• Part of the estuarine system consisting of deepwater tidal habitats.

Quirky Facts

• Bidens hyperborea is part of a confusing array of Bidens species that grow in the estuaries of the Hudson River.
• One user referred to the Tripartite Bur-Marigold as "Beggar Ticks", suggesting a personal preference for the name.

Further Information

• NatureServe
• Discover Life
• Dave's Garden
• Estuaries.Gov
• Sagebud Plant Directory