This week: Cup Plant Surprises
Hello,
Time for some fun facts about an interesting native plant with a dubious reputation! Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) is native to the eastern and central U.S., but is classified as a noxious weed in New York and Connecticut because it tends to get out of hand. To quote the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s plant profile, it has an “unstoppable urge to reproduce, they will pop up everywhere; very little care needed.” In short, you can probably find something more suitable to plant in your yard.
Naturally, this plant is growing in my garden because someone was giving it away at a plant swap. It can grow ten feet tall and spread in soggy, sunny conditions, but since I planted it on a dry slope, it might not get too wild (or so I tell myself). It has yellow, daisy-like flowers, but the flowers aren’t the interesting part of the plant: its leaves fuse to form a little cup that collects rainwater, perfect for hummingbirds, butterflies, and frogs. Charming!
Not only does Cup Plant attract beneficial insects and hydrate wildlife, but research from Michigan State University Extension and Department of Entomology proposes that some native plants, like Cup Plants, could be planted in agricultural fields to distract “enemy” insects that bother crops—a natural alternative to pesticides (possibly restoring what nature intended). Perhaps this weedy superspreader isn’t so bad after all.
Elsewhere:
Dragonflies usually mean there’s a healthy wetland ecosystem. So why is the Blue Dasher Dragonfly hanging out in mucky urban areas like sewers and man-made ponds? Learn more about this resilient bug in this unlocked New York Times article.
Have a good week,
Julie