Cup Plant, Carpenter’s Weed, Indian Cup, Rosin Weed, Ragged Cup

Silphium perfoliatum

(Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum)

SIL-phee-um  per-for-lee-AY-tum

Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit

Synonyms of Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum (11) (Updated on 12-4-23 from Plants of the World Online: Resinocaulon perfoliatum Lunell, Silphium conjunctum Willd., Silphium erythrocaulon Bernh. ex Spreng., Silphium hornemannii Schrad. ex DC., Silphium perfoliatum var. conjunctum (Willd.) Pursh, Silphium perfoliatum f. hornemannii (Schrad. ex DC.) Voss, Silphium perfoliatum f. petiolatum E.J.Palmer & Steyerm., Silphium petiolatum Poir., Silphium quadrangulum Hedw., Silphium scabrum Moench, Silphium tetragonum Moench

Silphium perfoliatum L. is the accepted scientific name for this species. It was named and described as such by Carl von Linnaeus Systema Naturae in 1759.

Accepted Infraspecific Names (2) (Updated on 11-30-22 from POWO): Silphium perfoliatum var. connatum (L.) Cronquist, *Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum (autonym). *When an infraspecific taxon is named, an autonym (“type-specimen”) is automatically generated whose description is closest to the (original) species. All have their own list of synonyms… Silphium perfoliatum var. perfoliatum is the species found in Missouri.

The genus, Silphium L., was also described by Carl von Linnaeus in the second volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

As of 12-4-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online by Kew lists 116 species in the Silphium genus. It is a member of the plant family Asteraceae with 1,702 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO. The number of genera in the family changes quite often, up and down.

The above distribution map for Silphium perfoliatum is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native and purple is where it has been introduced. The map on the USDA Plants Database is a little different.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WTH A BETTER POSITIVE ID.

I went to the cemetery in Leeton, Missouri with a friend in the summer of 2020 and spotted this AWESOME Silphium perfoliatum. I didn’t have my camera at the time but went on July 11 with my camera and took a lot of photos. I have seen a lot of amazing plants but this species is without a doubt close to the top of the list. I am very tempted to bring seeds home from this plant, but I kind of prefer wildflowers to just show up on my farm. I have never seen the Silphium perfoliatum anywhere else but here in this cemetery.

I hope to go back to take more photos of this plant in 2021 because I need photos of its flowers. Missouri Plants says they flower from July through September…

I apologize for not writing descriptions at the moment. I am busy updating plant pages and writing new pages for wildflowers I identified over the summer (plus adding more photos to previously published pages). Writing descriptions in my own words can be a lengthy process, so I decided to just make new pages and come back later and write the descriptions. This is a winter project but sometimes I get behind and it takes longer. I need to continually update because plant names change, the number of species and genera fluctuates, and I want to be as accurate as I can. There are several very good websites below that can help with a positive ID. We are all a work in progress.

I always like to find wildflowers whose leaves clasp the stems. The lower pairs of leaves appear to grow together at the base, kind of like they are just one leaf, and the stem is going through the center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have enjoyed photographing and learning about the many wildflowers growing on the farm and in other areas. The farm I live on is in Windsor, Missouri in Pettis County (Henry County is across the street and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away). I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 100 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be somewhat variable from location to location, so sometimes it gets a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and provide much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

  FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF MISSOURI (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
DAVE’S GARDEN
MISSOURI PLANTS
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
PFAF(PLANTS FOR A FUTURE)
GO BOTANY
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
FLORA FINDER
FRIENDS OF THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN
THE MEDICINAL PLANT GARDEN
GARDENIA
INVASIVE PLANT ATLAS

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂