Cup Plant

Plant Info

Also known as:
Scientific name:	Silphium perfoliatum
Family:	Aster (Asteraceae)
Life cycle:	perennial
Origin:	native
Habitat:	sun to part shade; moist; prairies, along shores, wetlands
Bloom season:	summer
Plant height:	3 to 8 feet
Spotted in Ramsey County at:	Long Lake Regional Park

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Detailed Information

Flower:

Yellow sunflower-type flower, 2½ to 3½ inches across. There are usually 21 to 34 petals (ray flowers) and the center is green until the disk flowers bloom. One plant may have 10 to 30 flowers.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are very large, to 10 inches long and 6 inches wide, joined together at the main stem (perfoliate), forming a cup (hence the name). The leaves are coarsely toothed, pointed at the tip, and feel rough. The stem is thick, square, and smooth, and may be a reddish color.

Notes:

The unusual leaves make this plant easy to identify.

More photos

• another picture of the flowers
• full length of young plants, about 5 feet tall

More yellow wildflowers. Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN, July 2007

Comments

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