Category: Native to North America

Tickseed Sunflower

Tickseed Sunflower (Bidens frondosa). An annual herbaceous plant in the Aster (Asteraceae) family.

Tickseed Sunflower is native to North America, and widespread across the continent.

Looking at the flower of Tickseed Sunflower, it seems to me there is something missing – the ray flowers. But in some circumstances there are a few, very short ray flowers. For the most part though there are only disk flowers.

The leaves look a bit like they’ve been created by taking shiny green paper and cutting the edges with pinking sheers. Quite attractive.

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Nodding Onion

Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum) are abloom right now, surely to the delight of many fairies in the wood.

Bees are attracted to the blossoms. But in facing down, the blooms discourage other pollinators which hesitate to hang upside down to feed on the nectar or pollen. Nodding Onion is native to North America.

Though a beauty to gaze upon, the bulb and grass-like leaves of Nodding Onion have an oniony scent. Not the floral scent one would expect from such a charming pink blossom.