Silphium terebinthinaceum-Prairie Dock

Prairie Dock makes a statement in the garden with leaves unlike any other: upright, 18” tall, and 12” wide, with the shape of an upturned heart and the texture of sandpaper. If that weren’t enough to make it standout, the flower stalks it sends up in summer make Prairie Dock one of the tallest plants native to Illinois. Reaching heights of around 9 ft, these stalks branch out towards the top and sport yellow, sunflower-like blooms that attract a multitude of pollinators. Birds flock to eat the seeds that follow. Its especially long taproot makes it long-lived and drought-resistant once established, but also uninterested in being transplanted. Sun: Full, Partial Soil: Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry Bloom Time: July, August, September Color: Yellow Height: 9 ft