Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
[SILL-fee-um per-fo-lee-AY-tum]

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming in the Asteraceae Family

Silphium perfoliatum, commonly known as Cup Plant, gets its name from the way its large, opposite leaves fuse around the square stem to form a small cup that collects rainwater and dew. This tall, coarse native perennial carries branched clusters of bright yellow, sunflower-like blooms well above the foliage from early to late summer.

The water-filled leaf cups are a minor wildlife feature in their own right -- birds, including goldfinches, stop to drink from them -- while the flowers themselves draw bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and the ripening seedheads bring goldfinches back to feed. Cup Plant thrives in consistently moist soil and tolerates occasional flooding, making it a good choice for a rain garden, pond edge, or other spot that stays damp.

Why Like A genuine wildlife magnet: goldfinches drink from the small pools of rainwater that collect where the leaves clasp the square stem, and return later to eat the ripening seeds, while the summer flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Its tolerance for consistently wet soil and occasional flooding makes it one of the more adaptable tall prairie natives for a damp site.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 6 - 9 feet tall. 24 - 36 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet
Zones 3a - 9b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Deciduous, Full Sun, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Perennial, Wet
Bloom Period June to September
Flower Color Yellow
Foliage Color Green
Animals That Use It

Seeds:

 

More Info from Experts

Photos of This with...

Goat's Beard, Solanna Golden Sphere Tickseed, The Rocket Leopard Plant, Golden Creeping Jenny, Green Carpet Japanese Pachysandra, Alpine Currant, Periwinkle
 
Want More photos of this plant? Try Google Image Search!
 


Pricing and Availability History

Click a label to toggle visibility for that size

Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

© North Shore Plant Club 2026. Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions.

Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


Benefits of Membership

Want a better way to get great plants and make your yard look awesome? Create your account below and get:

  • The best plants… from the same sources the pros use, but at near wholesale prices
  • More plants in more sizes than anywhere else… whether you’re looking for classics or rarities; annuals, perennials or shrubs; one plant or a whole yardful!
  • "No Contact" delivery or easy pick-up at a site near you without fighting the retail crowds. You choose!

Membership is free, but — since we rely on delivery and local pick-up — you have to live near one of our hubs (or be willing to drive to a site to pick them up). If you live farther away, and would like to help us bring the club to your neighbors, please email helpusgrow@northshoreplantclub.com.

Already a member?
Login
No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!