Bur Marigold is a native annual in the Asteraceae (aster) family found in the coastal areas of NC as well as other wet areas in eastern and mid-western US. It grows in wet sites along estuaries and rivers and can reach as high as 6 feet tall. The bright yellow flowers have brown centers and bloom until frost. It can have a floppy habit due to the weight of the flowers and seeds. Propagation is by seed. This plant will grow in sandy to clay soils with neutral, slightly acidic pH in full sun along bogs, marshes, ponds or streams. Attracts bees and butterflies and will self-seed. While it can be beautiful in mass plantings, gardeners should be cautious of its aggressive growth habit. Regular monitoring may be necessary to prevent it from overtaking other plants in smaller gardens. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and botrytis.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Wet
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Lance-shaped leaves are sessile with a cuneate base that is sometimes fused around the stem. Margins serrated, tips acute to acuminate. 2-6 inches long.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Radial
Flower detail
This plant has golden yellow, cosmos-like flowers with around 8 petals and brownish disc flowers in the center. Blooms June- Oct.
Bloom time
Fall
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
3-4 angled wedge-shaped achene with barbs for adhering to fur and clothes.
Stem color
Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Reddish multi-branched stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southern U.S.A, Northern Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela
Distribution
AL , AR , AZ , CA , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IN , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MO , NC , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Bidens support the following specialized bee: Dieunomia (Dieunomia) heteropoda.