By Elaine Smyth
Anne Holmes, artist
Cup plant, or Silphium perfoliatum, is a fantastic “statement” plant for the adventurous home gardener. This tall, robust member of the Asteraceae family boasts a months-long flowering season. Its bright yellow sunflower-like blossoms appear in groups held above stout, square stems up to 10 feet tall. The scientific genus name derives from the Greek word silphion, referring to a plant—unknown today and possibly extinct—that was highly valued in ancient Cyrenaica (modern-day Libya) for its medicinal qualities. Cup plant’s specific name, perfoliatum, describes the large, impressive leaves which clasp the square stems, forming “cups” that catch and hold rainwater.
Like its Mediterranean namesake, our native Silphium perfoliatum is a very useful plant. In the Asheville area, it blossoms in late June and continues blooming through August, attracting all types of pollinators and especially hummingbirds. Goldfinches also visit regularly to eat the seeds and drink from the cups formed by its leaves. Its sturdy stalks and seed heads supply visual interest throughout the fall and winter, while also providing important protection for overwintering insects. Entomologists have found more than 20 species of insects and spiders overwintering in Silphium perfoliatum stems.
Cup plant is often used in native meadow plantings and naturalistic gardens, but it deserves more frequent consideration as a specimen in conventional landscapes and gardens. If you have the space for this large plant, it is easily grown, and once established is very hardy, or, as one gardener puts it, “bomb-proof!”
Upcoming Events at Asheville Botanical Garden (ABG)
Learn more about ABG events and register online via the ABG website at AshevilleBotanicalGarden.org.
Exploring Butterfly & Moth Host Plants, with Sarah Coury ~ Saturday, August 16, 1–3 p.m.
To support butterflies and moths, we need to plant not only nectar-rich flowers but also a wide variety of larval host plants. Learn about gardening to support this vital connection between plants and insects. Following a classroom presentation, Sarah Coury, ABG’s director of horticulture, will lead attendees on a walk in the Garden.
Introduction to Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes, with Gary Kauffman ~ Saturday, August 23, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Geek out on graminoids—grasses, sedges, and rushes! This beginner-friendly class will begin in the classroom to introduce key ID features (such as spikelets, florets, glumes, perigynia, etc.), then move out into the garden to visit species in the landscape. Botanist Gary Kauffman has taught grass workshops at the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference for the last 10 years, in addition to his work as a botanist helping to preserve and protect the 1.2 million acres of North Carolina’s National Forests.
Save the date! Asheville Botanical Garden’s Fall Plant Sale is Saturday, September 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Asheville Botanical Garden, located at 151 W.T. Weaver Boulevard, is an independent non-profit garden supported by its members, donors and volunteers. Our mission is to promote and showcase the value and diversity of plants native to the Southern Appalachian region by serving as an educational resource and urban destination for nature study and enjoyment. The Garden features more than 750 species of native plants in a naturalistic setting. Garden hours: sunup to sundown. Visitor Center hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission. Please donate or join to support the Garden. Members get a 10 percent discount in the gift shop and 25 percent off classes. Learn more at AshevilleBotanicalGarden.org.
