Free Shipping on Online Seeds & Seed Mix Orders Over $100!

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages
Cup Plant With Bees Wild Flower
Close up of Cup Plant's stem, which allows it to hold water
Healthy cup plant plug with developed roots
Cup plant and its wildlife associations including butterflies, bees, wasps, and birds.
Cup Plant With Bees Wild Flower
Close up of Cup Plant's stem, which allows it to hold water
Healthy cup plant plug with developed roots
Cup plant and its wildlife associations including butterflies, bees, wasps, and birds.
Silphium perfoliatum

Cup Plant

Seeds

Packet $3.00

Plants

50 Plug Tray Out of Stock

Description

Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) is a tall, native perennial known for its large golden-yellow blossoms and distinctive cup-like leaves that collect rainwater. Growing 6 to 8 feet tall, it stands high above most other prairie flowers, making it a bold, eye-catching addition to any native planting.

Its many blooms are rich in nectar and pollen, attracting hummingbirds, bees, and a variety of pollinators throughout the summer. The leaf cups hold rainwater, offering a natural drinking source for birds and other wildlife during hot months. Cup Plant is deer-resistant and spreads by forming dense, colony-like stands, making it ideal for habitat restoration or naturalized gardens.

Seed Details

Weight 0.025 lbs
Dimensions 3.5 × 0.1 × 2.25 in

Range Map

Cup Plant native range

Details

Seeds/Packet75
Germination Code60 Day Cold Moist Stratification
SociabilitySelf-Seeding
Sun RequirementsFull Sun, Partial Sun
Soil MoistureMesic, Wet-Mesic, Wet
BenefitsBirds, Deer Resistant, Hummingbirds, Pollinators
Height6-7'
Hardiness Zone4 - 8
Bloom ColorYellow
Bloom PeriodJuly, August, September
Spacing2-3'

Seeds & Seed Mixes:

Seeds and seed mixes ship nationwide, year-round, typically within 3–5 business days. If you would like to postpone a seed mix shipment until fall, please note this at checkout.

Live Plants:

Live plants are available year-round while inventory lasts and ship to all states except California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii. After your order is placed, we’ll contact you to coordinate a spring shipping window, as many plants are overwintered and ship once dormancy breaks.

Estimated shipping for 2026 plant orders begins in mid-April, weather permitting.

If you’re looking to secure plants in advance or need larger quantities for a project, we offer contract growing options. Contact us to discuss your needs and request a quote. Additional species not listed online may also be available through contract grow.

Live Stakes:

Live stakes are available by request only and must be ordered by submitting a contact form. Ordering is open seasonally from November 1 through February 28. A minimum of 100 stakes per order is required, with at least 25 stakes per species.

Live stakes ship only to the following states: Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa.

PLS stands for Pure Live Seed, an industry-standard measure of seed quality. It reflects the portion of seed in a batch that is viable and capable of germinating.

What this means for you: when you purchase 1 lb. of PLS seed, the physical weight of the seed you receive will be slightly more than 1 lb. That’s because we account for non-viable seed and natural inert material upfront, so you receive a full pound of live, plantable seed.

Many companies sell bulk seed by total weight, which can include filler and non-viable seed. By pricing based on PLS, we make sure you’re getting exactly what you paid for—high-quality native seed with more predictable, successful germination.

Want to dive deeper? Check out our in-depth article on what PLS is and why it matters.