Common Name: Burr Marigold

General Information

Bidens tripartita is an erect, much-branched annual plant usually growing up to 100cm tall, occasionally reaching 150cm[].
The plant is harvested from the wild, mainly for local use as a medicine but also sometimes for food and materials.

Known Hazards

The seed coats have reflexed prickles which allow them to adhere to clothing, animal fur etc[]. When growing on the edge a pond, these seeds have been known to kill goldfish by adhering to their gills[].

Botanical References

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Range

Most of Europe, north to 63°, east through the Mediterranean, northern Africa, temperate and tropical Asia to New Guinea

Habitat

Moist, open habitats such as watersides, ditches, swampy pastures and paddy fields, at elevations up to 1,700 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Bees, Hoverflies
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any moderately fertile damp to wet soil in full sun[, ].
The flowering heads smell like rosin or cedar when they are burnt[].
The seed coats have reflexed prickles which allow them to adhere to clothing, animal fur etc[]. When growing on the edge a pond, these seeds have been known to kill goldfish by adhering to their gills[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - cooked[, , ].

Medicinal

Burr marigold is little used as a medicine nowadays, but it was once esteemed for its styptic properties being used to quickly staunch blood flow - it was often used to treat uterine haemorrhage and conditions producing blood in the urine[].
The whole plant is antiseptic, aperient, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, narcotic, sedative, styptic and sudorific[, , , ]. It is an excellent remedy for ruptured blood vessels and bleeding of any kind, and is of benefit to people with consumption[]. It is used internally to treat bladder and kidney problems, blood in the urine, uterine bleeding, ulcerative colitis and peptic ulcers[, ]. It is usually combined with a carminative herb such as ginger when used to treat digestive tract ailments, including chronic dysentery[, ].
Externally, the plant is used as a wash in the treatment of alopecia, chronic eczema etc[, ].
The plant is harvested as it comes into flower and is dried for later use[].

The roots and seeds are used as an emmenagogue, expectorant, diuretic and also as a remedy for kidney-stones and gallstones[].

Other Uses

The plant yields a black dye which is used as a hair dye[, ].
The flowers yield a yellow dye of indifferent quality when alum is used as a mordant[, , ].

The burning herb repels insects and flies[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ and only just cover the seed. So long as the soil does not dry out, the seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks at 15°c[].

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