Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
[C-value
5]
Aster family (Asteraceae)
Blooms
mid-July -
September
The native Cup Plant is common in our area. It prefers full or partial sun, and moist loamy soil. Habitats include moist black soil prairies, moist meadows near streams, low-lying woodland edges, fens and seeps. This perenniall is 4-10' tall and unbranched except for the panicle of flowering stems near the apex. The central stem is thick, hairless, and four-sided. The large opposite coarsely toothed leaves are up to 8" long and 5" across and join together around the central stem to form a cup, hence its common name. The yellow sunflower-like flower is 3-4" across with numerous yellow disk florets surrounded by 18-40 yellow ray florets.
Cup Plant at Subat Forest Preserve July 9, 2012
Cup Plant at Blackberry Trail Forest Preserve July 17, 2015 (early flower heads)
Cup Plant along Fox River August 17, 2013
Cup Plant foiliage at Lyon Forest Preserve fen July 20, 2013
After a rain, birds visit the plant's "cups" for water.
Cup Plant at Subat Forest Preserve August 14, 2013
Cup Plant colony at Lyon Forest Preserve fen July 21, 2013
Cup Plant fall foliage at Lyon Forest Preserve fen October 31, 2014
Click here for more information.
Copyright © 2011-2017 by Kendall County Forest Preserve District. All Rights Reserved.