Melinda Myers

Compass Plant

Botanical Name

Silphium laciniatum

Min Zone

3

Max Zone

9

Height

5 to 10 feet

Width

18 to 36 inches

Flowers

Summer: yellow, resembling sunflower

Light

Full sun

Soil

Average, well-drained

Planting & Care

• Tolerates poor soils
• Large taproot - up to 15' - is slow growing, taking the plant a couple of years to establish
• May not flower until the 2^nd or 3^rd year
• Common name is derived from the fact that the large, deeply divided leaves tend to be oriented in a North-South direction
• Very drought tolerant
• Numerous birds and mammals seek out the seeds
• Attracts native bees and butterflies