Silphium perfoliatum Brookgreen Gardens This is one of the

This is one of the most cheerful of all the small native trees

Do not plant in shade or in rich or poorly drained soil

followed by small dark blue berries that are edible and as welcome to birds as to gardeners

or a wildlife planting where birds work the winter berries

Silphium perfoliatum Brookgreen Gardens This is one of theCup plant is a giant of the summer prairie, a statuesque perennial that rises on stout, square stems to eight feet or more and lifts a crown of bright yellow, daisy like flowers above the border. The name comes from a quirk of the foliage: the large, coarse leaves are perfoliate, joined in pairs around the stem to form a shallow cup that catches and holds rainwater. Silphium perfoliatum belongs to the sunflower tribe of the aster family, Asteraceae,