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Cressler, Alan

Silphium terebinthinaceum

Silphium terebinthinaceum Jacq.

Prairie Rosinweed, Prairie Dock

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: site

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Very large, wide, spade-shaped basal leaves subtend a 3-8 ft. flowering stalk. Bright yellow, composite flower are numerous on older plants.

The common name for Silphium is rosinweed due to the copious resin exuded from injured parts of the plant.

From the Image Gallery

14 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 8 feet tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , DC , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MI , MO , MS , NC , OH , SC , TN , VA , WI , WV
Canada: ON
Native Distribution: S. Ont. & OH to MN, s. to SC, MS & AR
Native Habitat: Prairies; woodland borders; old fields

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil Description: Wet to mesic soils.

Benefit

Use Other: The common name for Silphium is osinweed' due to the copious resin exuded from injured parts of the plant. Prairie youngsters use the resin for chewing gum. It tastes like carrots and pine. (Lamb/Rhynard)"
Attracts: Birds

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees
Provides Nesting Materials/Structure for Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Propagate by sowing seed sowing unstratified seed in fall or stratified seed in spring. If producing transplants, sow seed late in the season as the rapid taproot growth will enable transplanting in fall or early spring.
Seed Collection: Collect in Sep. and Oct.
Seed Treatment: Moist stratification for 10 days.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACU				FACU			FAC	FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College, The - Valhalla, NY
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 1262 - Plants of Carolinian Canada (1994) Lamb, Larry and Gail Rhynard
Bibref 1294 - The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Silphium terebinthinaceum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Silphium terebinthinaceum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Silphium terebinthinaceum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-01-16
Research By: TWC Staff

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