* Unavailable for 2024
Sun Exposure: Sun, Part Sun
Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium
Soil Type: Sand-Loam, Loam, Loam-Clay
Height: 6 feet feet
Spread: 2 - 4 feet
Blooms: July, August, September
Root: Fibrous
Habitat: Moist Prairies and Meadows, Low-lying woodland edges and thickets, Lake borders, Fence rows
Landscape uses: Pollinator garden, Rain garden, Meadow planting, Naturalization
Complimentary Plants: Spotted Joe Pye Weed, Swamp Milkweed
Wildlife Value: Bees, flies and butterflies visit the flowers for pollen and nectar, Leaves surround stem and provide resevoir that collects rain water which pollinators and birds can drink from
Seed Origin: Coldwater, ON (Wildflower Farm seed supplier)
Germination Code: C(60)
Silphium perfoliatum - Cup Plant
Cup plant stands tall at six feet - higher in wetter soils, smaller in drier soils. The flowers are valuable to pollinators and seeds for birds and small mammals. The "perfoliatum" leaves clasp the stem and create a small basin that collects rain water - hence the name "Cup" plant. As this is a tall plant that spreads out easily, it is not recommended for a small garden planting, as it may outcompete smaller plant species.