Although this plant is considered to be a weed by many, it is valuable to wildlife. The blooms attract various bees, including bumblebees, little carpenter bees and halictid bees, as well as small to medium-sized butterflies and skippers.

The foliage may be eaten occasionally by mammalian herbivores which help to distribute the seeds due to the spines on the segments of the seedpods clinging to their fur.

References:

Go Botany website. https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/sida/spinosa/