Scientific Name: Silphium laciniatum
Common Name: compass plant
Native Range: Central North America
Zone: 3 to 8
Plant type & Form: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 5.00 to 9.00 feet
Spread: 1.50 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: July to September
Bloom Description: Yellow
Flower: sunflower-like flowers (to 5″ wide) with yellow rays and yellow center disks. Flowers bloom in loose spikes on the upper parts of the plant in summer
Leaf: very large, deeply pinnatifid (cut close to the midrib) basal leaves (to 18″ long) are reminiscent of pin oak leaves; upper leaves are smaller
Sun: Full
Water: Medium
Soil type & pH: average, medium, well-drained soils
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Tolerates: Poor soils
Identification notes: Look for a tall, sturdy, rough, bristly plant that grows on stiff, hairy, resinous stems to 9′ tall
