compass plant

Silphium laciniatum

The compass plant is a tall, bright yellow flower that grows in prairies. Its leaves point north and south, helping people find their way in nature!

Hábitat: Grasslands

Aspecto

The compass plant is a tall, coarse-textured prairie perennial with robust stems and large, deeply lobed leaves. It produces striking yellow, daisy-like flower heads up to 10 cm across, often found solitary or in small clusters at the top of its sturdy stalks.

ReinoPlantaeFiloTracheophytaClaseMagnoliopsidaOrdenAsteralesFamiliaAsteraceaeGéneroSilphium

compass plant

Categoría

Plantas

Rareza

Common

Peligro

1/5 · Muy bajo

Snaps

¡Sé la primera persona en hacer un snap!

Datos interesantes

Even after a prairie fire, compass plants often sprout back quickly, thanks to their deep roots that survive underground!

It's a 'living fossil' of the ancient prairies, often growing in the same spots for decades and supporting many creatures.

Its unique leaves were once used by early pioneers as a natural compass to find their way across vast prairies!

The plant's scientific name, Silphium, comes from an ancient Greek plant that produced a valuable resin, similar to its sticky sap.

Habilidades especiales

The compass plant can orient its large, deeply lobed leaves to align mostly north and south, minimizing sun exposure during the hottest part of the day.

Compass plant has a massive taproot that can grow over 15 feet deep, helping it reach water far underground and survive droughts.

When its stem is broken, the compass plant releases a sticky resin that helps heal wounds and deters herbivores from further damage.

Medidas y detalles

Altura: 150-300 cm
Extensión: 60-120 cm
Tamaño de la flor: 5-10 cm
Temporada de floración: Summer to early Fall
Comestible: Sí
Toxicidad: Ninguna
Ciclo de vida: Perenne
Método de polinización: Insectos

Conexiones ecológicas

pollinates

Honey bee

Apis mellifera

Gathers nectar and pollen

pollinates

Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus

Feeds on nectar from flowers

eaten by

American bison

Bison bison

Historically grazed on leaves

eaten by

White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Browses on young leaves

Rasgos

Floración

Las plantas con flores son cualquier planta que produce flores como parte de su ciclo reproductivo.

Floración de verano

Las plantas de floración de verano producen sus flores durante la temporada estival, a menudo aportando un color vibrante cuando muchas otras plantas ya han terminado de florecer.