Description
Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) is a tall, bold native perennial known for its bright yellow flowers and unique cup-forming leaves. The name perfoliatum refers to the way each pair of leaves wraps around the stem, creating small basins that hold rainwater.
Growing 6–8 feet tall, it stands above most prairie plants and blooms from mid to late summer. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while the seeds later provide food for birds. The water held in the leaf cups also offers a drinking source for birds and wildlife during hot weather.
Cup Plant grows best in full sun and prefers medium to wet soils, though it can tolerate average garden conditions. It establishes well from seed, with fall planting or cold stratification improving spring germination.
This is a vigorous, colony-forming plant that spreads over time and can dominate smaller spaces. It’s best suited for large plantings, prairie restorations, and naturalized areas where it has room to grow.
It pairs well with other tall, moisture-tolerant natives like Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium maculatum), New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), and Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum).
