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Silphium perfoliatum is often confused with:
Rudbeckia maxima Rudbeckia maxima
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Vitis vulpina Vitis vulpina
Acer rubrum Acer rubrum
Penstemon digitalis Flowers

Silphium perfoliatum

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
SIL-phee-um pur-foe-lee-AY-tum
Description

Both tall and large, this plant is good for prairie, native or wildflower gardens and naturalized areas. It may self-seed.

Site:  Open woods, meadows, prairies, thickets

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#full sun tolerant#summer flowers#food source summer#food source nectar#food source pollen#Coastal FAC#Piedmont Mountains FAC#food source hard mast fruit#Audubon
 
Form in bloom (Niagara Falls, ON)-Late Summer
Form in bloom (Niagara Falls, ON)-Late Summer Douglas Goldman, USDA CC BY-NC 4.0
Disc flowers (Niagara Falls, ON)-Late Summer
Disc flowers (Niagara Falls, ON)-Late Summer Douglas Goldman, USDA CC BY-NC 4.0
Stem and leaf sheath forming a cup (Niagara Falls, ON)-Late Summ
Stem and leaf sheath forming a cup (Niagara Falls, ON)-Late Summer Douglas Goldman, USDA CC BY-NC 4.0
Back of flower (Niagara Falls, ON)-Late Summer
Back of flower (Niagara Falls, ON)-Late Summer Douglas Goldman, USDA CC BY-NC 4.0
Flowers
Flowers Udo Schmidt CC-BY-SA 2.0
Form
Form Ryan Hodnett CC-BY-SA 2.0
Form
Form Paolo Fisicaro CC BY-SA 3.0
Silphium perfoliatum
Bloom detail Debbie Roos
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#full sun tolerant#summer flowers#food source summer#food source nectar#food source pollen#Coastal FAC#Piedmont Mountains FAC#food source hard mast fruit#Audubon
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Silphium
    Species:
    perfoliatum
    Family:
    Asteraceae
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southeastern US
    Dimensions:
    Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Wildflower
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasional Flooding
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Summer
    Fruit Description:
    Displays from July to September
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Head
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Radial
    Flower Petals:
    7 - 20 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    2 to 3 in. flower head with 20 to 30 yellow rays surrounding the disc flowers. Blooms from June to August
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    Two upper leaves surround the flower stalk, forming a shallow cup; large, rough, deeply pinnatified leaves; coarsely toothed lower leaves contract into a winged stalk
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Buds:
    Smooth/Hairless
    Stem Surface:
    Smooth (glabrous)
    Stem Description:
    smooth, square stems
  • Landscape:
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Songbirds