Silphium laciniatum Compass Plant

Ohio Native Plant Natural Range

To view the natural range of Silphium laciniatum visit the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service website. Endangered - On the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Rare Plant List
Notice buds forming on the right. by megachile -inaturalist.org Domain no rights reserved

Cultivation Information Compass Plant

This picture gives you a sense of how tall Silphium laciniatum truly are -Christine V - Ohio


Height - 8 ftFlower Color - YellowBlooms - June - SeptemberSun - Full sun/part shade
Soil - Moist to Medium to DryPerennial Hardy Zone - 3 to 9Family -Asteraceae
Seed Provenance Silphium laciniatum
Nodding Onion Gardens - 2012 to present, Native Bee-Ginnings, Pennsylvania - 2019, Prairie Moon Nursery, Winona, MN - 2010 - 2011
Don't the buds on Compass Plant look like little crowns? Dana Lee Ling -inaturlist.org - Public Domain - no rights reserved

Wildlife Significance Compass Plant

Pollinated by - Long-tongued bees, bumblebees, Minor bee Attracts - Syrphid flies, butterflies like Sulfur and Monarch
Seed - Enjoyed by songbirds and small mammals
For detailed information on Compass Plant, visit the Illinois Wildflower website
Propagation Notes Compass Plant
Stratifying Seeds
1. Zip lock plastic bag2. Few tablespoons of Vermiculite3. Dampen vermiculite - not soggy4. Store seed in refrigerator for 60 days Seeds require cold, moist storage in order to germinate
Alternative Method - Fall sow in an outdoor cold frame. It is best to cover them well with potting soil, making it more difficult to small mammals like mice to discover them Slow to mature - Silphium laciniatum was started from seed in February 2016, we didn't expect flowers the first season but were surprised when not one of our Compass Plants bloomed in 2017.
Hopefully, they will get down to business in 2018 - They Did!
Easily distinguishable leaves of Compass Plant