Cup Plant (Silphium Perfoliatum) – 6 Pack Of 1 Gallon Pots

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 4a-9b  Find Your Zone

Plant Type:  Herbaceous Perennial 

Flower Color:  Bright Yellow

Flower Size: 3-4″

Flowering Period:  Mid to Late Summer

Flower Type:  Single, Daisy

Fragrant Flowers:  Faint

Foliage Color:  Bold Green

Fragrant Foliage:  No

Berries:  No

Berry Color:  No

Attracts:  Butterflies, Birds, Beneficial Pollinators, Hummingbirds, Visual Attention

Resistances:  Cold Temperatures (-30F / Zones 4-8), Deer – more info, Disease, Heat, Humidity, Insect, Rabbit

A magnificent North American native perennial that towers up to 10 feet tall in the garden, the Cup Plant, Silphium perfoliatum, is a jolly yellow giant perfect for dwelling at the back of the border, against a tall fence or to fill corners in the garden. It gets its name from the water-holding “cup” that is formed by adjoining large and stout leaves on either side of the square stem. Birds, butterflies, insects and frogs will frequent the cups to get a drink. The large leaves provide a lush almost tropical look in the garden that all serve as a cover for birds. From mid to late summer, large and showy 3 to 4 inch diameter bright yellow daisies are produced in abundance attracting butterflies, hummingbirds and beneficial pollinators. Birds, especially goldfinches, feast on the seeds. Recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit for reliable performance in the garden, the Cup Plant is very easy to grow and maintenance-free almost anywhere in the U.S. in USDA Zones 3a-9b.

Birds, especially goldfinches, insects, frogs and other creatures are attracted to the water held in the cupped leaves and also eat the seeds. Bumblebees and honey bees use parts of the plant for nesting. Short-tongued bees, wasps and flies frequent the flowers for pollen and nectar.

Growing 6 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide depending on the moisture in the soil, the Cup Plant is ideal for use as a tall vertical accent in smaller garden spaces or in groupings where space allows. It’s perfect at the back of the sunny perennial border or in native, prairie or wildflower gardens. We like planting it against tall fences or to fill corners or the garden. A fine addition to butterfly and beneficial pollinator gardens, hummingbird and birds gardens, native gardens, meadow or prairie gardens, wildflower gardens, rock gardens, yellow theme gardens and cottage gardens.

The Cup Plant is very easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained of average fertility and full sun to part shade. We suggest at least 5 hours of direct sunlight for tallest height and best flowering. It tolerates occasionally wet or dry soil but prefers a moist, loamy soil. As with many other perennial plants, constantly soggy or wet soils are problematic. Heavy, dense clay soils should be amended with organic matter to improve drainage. Plants can be cut back to the ground after going dormant in winter.