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Asteracea Family - "Compass Plant, Rosinweed (also refers to S. integrifolium), Turpentine Plant, Polar Plant"

Silphium is an ancient Greek term for "resinous juices". Perfoliatum is from the Latin for "with the leaf surrounding the stem so the stem appears to pass through the leaf".

Found throughout the tallgrass Prairie region and south on mesic prairies. Bright yellow flowers bloom from July through August. Very tall plant, sometimes reaching 8 or more feet. The taproot is also very long, reaching as much as 4 to 5 feet into the ground. The distinctive joined leaves form a cup that can actually hold water after a rain. Man's the time we have seen finches and sparrows bathing in the cup on a hot summer day.

There are no reported medicinal or food uses.