# prairie dock (*Silphium terebinthinaceum*) Prairie dock is a tall plant with big leaves and bright yellow flowers. It grows in sunny places and can be found in prairies and open fields, making it a beautiful sight in nature. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 18 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![prairie dock](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Silphium_terebinthinaceum_PRAIRIE_DOCK_%285146939397%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Frank Mayfield from Chicago area, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Silphium_terebinthinaceum_PRAIRIE_DOCK_%285146939397%29.jpg) ## Appearance The prairie dock is a tall plant with robust, stiff stems rising high above large, sandpaper-textured basal leaves. It has bright yellow, daisy-like flowers that bloom in clusters at the top, making it stand out against the prairie. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Silphium ## Interesting facts - Early settlers chewed its resinous sap like gum for a refreshing taste. - Its leaves can rotate to face east and west, like natural solar panels! - Native Americans used its strong stalks to make scrubbing brushes! - This plant's mighty roots can plunge over 15 feet into the earth! ## Special abilities - **Sun Compass Leaves:** Prairie dock has unique vertical leaves that help it catch morning and evening sun, while reducing water loss during intense midday heat. - **Deep Taproot Anchor:** Prairie dock can grow a very long taproot that helps it reach deep water sources and withstand strong prairie winds. - **Healing Resin Sap:** Prairie dock has a sticky resinous sap that can help it seal wounds and deter some herbivores. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-300 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer-fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from its flowers - **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** [American bison](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bison) (*Bison bison*) — graze on young leaves and stems - **Depends on:** Silphium borer moth (*Papaipema silphii*) — larvae bore into its stems for shelter and food ## Traits - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify prairie dock? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is prairie dock? 100-300 cm ### How wide does prairie dock spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on prairie dock? 5-10 cm ### When does prairie dock bloom? Summer-fall ### Is prairie dock edible? Yes ### Is prairie dock toxic? None ### What is prairie dock's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Lilacia Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lilacia-park) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden - [Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/midewin-national-tallgrass-prairie) — Illinois, US · Forest - [Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mitchell-park-horticultural-conservatory) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Richard Bong State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/richard-bong-state-recreation-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Shaw Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shaw-nature-reserve) — Missouri, US · Botanical Garden - [Lincoln Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lincoln-park-zoo) — Illinois, US · Zoo [View all places to see prairie dock](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/prairie-dock) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Prairie Dock: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/prairie-dock)