Cup Plant

Silphium perfoliatum

Cup Plant

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Silphium
Species:
Silphium perfoliatum

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
8-12 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
jul, aug, sep
Bloom Colors:
Yellow

Native Range

United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: Ontario, Quebec

Keystone Species Ranking

Bee Keystone:
★★★★☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

giant eucosma moth (Eucosma giganteana), silphius borer moth (Papaipema silphii)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Black and gold bumble bee (Bombus auricomus), Black and gold bumble bee (Bombus auricomus), Bombus bimaculatus (Bombus bimaculatus), Bombus bimaculatus (Bombus bimaculatus), Bombus spec (Bombus spec), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus), Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Lemon cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus citrinus), Lemon cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus citrinus), Northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis), Northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), 🛑Rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), 🛑Rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola), Yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola) Butterflies:Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Great Spangled Fritillary (Argynnis cybele), Great Spangled Fritillary (Argynnis cybele), Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon), Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon), Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus), Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers floodplain and wet meadow environments

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold moist stratification for 150 days.

Establishment: L.ligulistylis is found from southern Canada to Missouri, west to Colorado and New Mexico. It grows in meadows and open slopes and is tolerant of saline conditions.

Source: npn.rngr.net