Silphium laciniatum (Compass Plant)

A rarely offered, tall prairie plant from North America which features sunflower-like flowers with yellow rays and yellow centre disks. The flowers bloom in loose spikes on the upper parts of the plant in summer. 

An interesting point to note is that the leaves of the young plants supposedly orientate themselves north and south. Hence the common name, Compass Plant.

Good height for the rear of the border. Also excellent for naturalizing in prairies, cottage gardens, wildflower gardens or native plant gardens.

Split or broken stems exude a gummy, fragrant-but-bitter resin which was used by Native Americans as a mouth-cleansing chewing gum. 

Please note: due to the nature of this plant (they have little foliage at the base but will grow tall stems when in the ground), these plants will probably not look very impressive when you receive them. Please only buy them if you understand this.

Height: 2m

Common name(s): Compass Plant, Pilot Weed, Polar Plant.

Genus name comes from the Greek name silphion used for a North African resin bearing plant.

Specific epithet means slashed or torn into narrow segments for the deeply cut leaves.