Silphium integrifolium- Rosin Weed

Rosin Weed stands upright at about five feet tall, the shortest of our native silphiums, which are known for their towering stature and bright yellow, sunflower-like blooms. These cheery flowers attract an array of pollinators, especially long-tongued bees. Rosin Weed’s hairy stems are typically unbranched until the very top, where they split into multiple floral stems. Pairs of opposite, sessile leaves along the stem have a unique and alluring property: each pair has an orientation that differs 90 degrees from the pair above and below it. These smooth-margined leaves have a sandpaper-like texture and a lanceolate shape. The plant’s deep taproot makes it exceptionally drought-resistant, and also hard to transplant. Spreads via short rhizomes to form a colony. The stems contain a thick, sticky resin that was traditionally used as a chewing gum. Sun: Full Soil: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry Bloom Time: July, August, September Color: Yellow Height: 5 ft