At first I thought they were the more beautiful and bigger version of Tridax procumbens, a weed which we can find everywhere by the roadsides in Malaysia.
“Spanish Needles Bidens pilosa for Wildflower Wednesday”, a copyrighted post, was written for My Nice Garden blog by Autumn Belle @ http://www.mynicegarden.com/ on June 23rd, 2011.
Scientific name: Bidens pilosa
Family: Asteraceae
Origin: Tropical America
Origin: Tropical America
Category: Annual
Photographs taken at: The Rooftop Secret Garden of 1-Utama
This plant has many common names, even within the same culture.
English: Black Jack, Spanish Needle
Malay: Ketul
Chinese: 鬼针草 ('gui zhen cao' meaning ghost needle grass)
Taiwanese: 咸豐草 (xian feng cao where xianfeng is the name of a county in China)
Philipines: Pisau-pisau.
This is an annual plant that can grow to 1m tall. It is considered a weed in some tropical countries in Africa, Asia and Tropical America) while in other countries it is used as a food and medicinal source. In sub-Saharan Africa, the tender shoots and young leaves are used fresh or dried as a leaf vegetable to be stored for use in times of scarcity.
The plant is used in traditional chinese medicine under the name of xian feng cao (咸豐草).
The seeds are black and contain 4-5 black burrs which cling to humans and animals.
Such a small and simple flower but it is an important food source for our little friends.
Can you see the pretty white heart-shaped petals?
Information from: Wikipedia.
This is my entry for Wildflower Wednesday hosted by Clay and Limestone every fourth Wednesday of the month, the link here.
This is also my entry for Fertilizer Friday hosted by Glenda at Tootsie Time here.
We have this growing around our property and consider it a weed, although it is a native plant to the area we live in. The bees and butterflies do enjoy it. The needles stick to your clothing then drop off somewhere else to grow another plant. :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Gardening ~ FlowerLady
I've not seen those here, but they are pretty flowers.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
Wow! That is one fantastic shot of the bee on the white bloom! Yes Ive seen the wild and smaller version of these on the roadsides.Maybe I should get them planted in my garden to attract the bees..
ReplyDeleteAutumn Belle, The Bidens Pilosa must be a great medicine as you write about in your posting today. The bees seem to know it. They must love that plant as seen by their many workers on them. Yes, what one person calls a weed may be a flower to another. As they say, " a flower in the wrong place is often called a weed by others". It is all in your point of view! Jack
ReplyDeletebusy little bees on pretty flowers.
ReplyDeleteThese are great pollinator pictures! I so admire anyone with the patience to sit so close and take these kinds of pics.
ReplyDeleteWow its really nice view to see these honey bees with beautiful flowers
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nonvoiceproject
those photos are incredible!!! You did a great job capturing that guy hard at work! He is lucky to have the chance to "work" on such a pretty flower!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking in this week...I love seeing your gardens!!!