// SPECIES PROFILE · PERENNIAL · NATIVE

Cup Plant

Silphium perfoliatum

Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) is a perennial in the Asteraceae family. Native range includes AR, KS, MO, OK. Hardy in zones 3a–9a. Mature size 4'–10'. Blooms Jul–Sep.

// QUICK FACTS

Family: Asteraceae
Group: perennial
Native range: Native to 31 U.S. states, including AL, AR, CT, GA, IA, IL…
USDA hardiness: Zones 3a–9a
Mature size: 4'–10'
Sun: Full sun
Water: —
Bloom: Jul–Sep
Wildlife value: High — pollinator and wildlife support
Ecological role: tall prairie native · water-holding leaf cups · bird and butterfly magnet

Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) — *Silphium perfoliatum* — Cup Plant. Photo by JackyM59 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field Notes

[ growing · ecology · siting · care ]

Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) is a perennial in the Asteraceae family. Native range includes AR, KS, MO, OK. Hardy in zones 3a–9a. Mature size 4'–10'. Blooms Jul–Sep.

Why it's on this list: tall prairie native · water-holding leaf cups · bird and butterfly magnet. Native-range data from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (NPIN), cross-checked against iNaturalist observations. Part of Rooted Revival's regional native plant catalog — true natives for Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.

Companion Planting

[ guild · polyculture · cross-layer pairings ]

In the same native range, cup plant pairs naturally with: Broadleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia), Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia), Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis).