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Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Silphium laciniatum

Silphium laciniatum L.

Compassplant, Compass Plant

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: sila3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Compassplant is a tall, coarse, sunflower-like perennial, growing 3-12 ft. high. Deeply cut, hairy leaves, up to 2 ft. in length, usually orient themselves north and south to avoid the heat of the noonday sun. Scattered along the top half of the stout, sticky stem are 2-5 in. wide, yellow, radiate flowers. A tall plant bearing yellow flower heads with large, hairy-edged, green bracts; stem exudes resinous sap

Compass Plant is one of a group of tall, mostly prairie sunflowers, some with very large leaves. The common name refers to the plants deeply incised leaves, which tend to be oriented in a north-south direction. The hardened sap of this plant can be chewed like gum. Rosinweed (S. integrifolium) has opposite, very rough, stalkless, untoothed or slightly toothed leaves and is 2-5 (60-150 cm) tall. Cup Plant (S. perfoliatum) has opposite leaves that envelop its square stem, each leaf forming a cup around it. Prairie Dock (S. terebinthinaceum) has large, ovate or heart-shaped, basal leaves to 2 (60 cm) long; the sparsely leaved flower stalk sometimes reaches a height of nearly 10 (3 m).

Plant Characteristics Duration: Perennial

Habit: Herb

Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Flower:

Fruit:

Size Class: 3-6 ft.

3-6 ft.

Bloom Information Bloom Color: Yellow

Bloom Time: Jul , Aug , Sep



Distribution USA: AL , AR , CO , DC , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MI , MN , MO , MS , ND , NE , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , SD , TN , TX , VA , WI

Canada: ON

Native Distribution:

Native Habitat: Prairies

OH to LA, w. to e. Great PlainsPrairies

Growing Conditions Light Requirement: Sun

Soil Moisture: Dry

Drought Tolerance: High

Soil Description: Various well-drained soils.

Conditions Comments: Compass plant has a large, woody

SunDryHighVarious well-drained soils.Compass plant has a large, woody taproot that may reach down 15 ft. Slow-growing, long-lived, eye-catching, sunflower-like blooms. (Ontario Native Plants 2002)

Benefit Use Wildlife: The large seeds are favored by birds and small mammals.

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Interesting Foliage: yes

Attracts: Birds , Butterflies

Nectar Source: yes



Value to Beneficial Insects Special Value to Native Bees

Special Value to Bumble Bees



This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at Special Value to Bumble BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Propagation Description: Most easily propagated by seed. Seedlings take 2-3 years to flower. Sow unstratified seed in spring or stratified in fall. Deep roots make division difficult.

Seed Collection: Collect in Sep. and Oct.

Seed Treatment: Damp stratification (2 months at 40 degrees) and scarification.

Commercially Avail: yes



Find Seed or Plants Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network. View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Additional resources USDA: Find

FNA: Find

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