The following is a submission from a Gustavus student in Dr. Cindy Johnson’s “Interpreting the Fall Landscape” class held in the Arboretum. Special thanks to Dr. Johnson and her students…..
By Carrie Boike
Cup Plant, Silphium perfoliatum
· Native to North America
· Perennial
· Triangular Toothed Leaf
· opposite leaf arrangement
· Called Cup because the leaves come
together in a cup shape
· Yellow daisy-like flowers on top
· 3-8 ft
I found the Cup Plant very interesting because the location of the plant I saw indicated something unique about the landscape. My Landscaping Class and I found this Cup Plant in the prairie in the Arb. Prairies typically have low rainfall and higher/ dryer climates. However, these plants occur in wetter portions of land. To see this plant in the Prairie implies that particular area is wetter.