Prairie Rosinweed
Silphium integrifolium

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

Silphium integrifolium is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.8 m (6ft) by 0.9 m (3ft in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 1.8

Where it is found

Mesic to dry black soil prairies, gravel prairies, clay prairies, hill prairies, openings in rocky upland forests, limestone glades, and areas along railroads, particularly where prairie remnants occur. This plant can survive significant degradation, and recovers readily from occasional wildfires. It competes well against most prairie grasses and forbs in mesic to dry areas.

Native to eastern North America, including Ontario in Canada and the eastern and central United States as far west as New Mexico.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Native to eastern North America, including Ontario in Canada and the eastern and central United States as far west as New Mexico.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Carbon Farming Solutions - Staple Crop: protein-oil (The term staple crop typically refers to a food that is eaten routinely and accounts for a dominant part of people's diets in a particular region of the world). Under development at the Land Institute to domesticate this species for use as an oilseed crop. Trials yielded 1.1t/ha of seed.

Oil: Oil

Medicine

Rating: 1

Native American peoples used the roots to treat pain from injuries .

Other

Rating: 2

Garden Ornamental. Compared to other Silphium species, it is shorter, less likely to topple over, and faster from seed to flower. More manageable than most perennial sunflowers as it spreads slowly, and it is not known to be allelopathic. Adapts well to prairies, wildflower/native plant gardens, naturalized areas, meadows or moist, open woodland areas. Attracts birds and butterflies

Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Staple Crop: Protein-oil: (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.

Under Development: Plant breeders are actively working to domesticate these plants for cultivation, but they are not yet commercially available as crops. Examples include most of the perennial cereal grains.

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Staple Crop: Protein-oil: (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.

Under Development: Plant breeders are actively working to domesticate these plants for cultivation, but they are not yet commercially available as crops. Examples include most of the perennial cereal grains.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

Climate: boreal to warm temperate. Humidity: semi-arid to humid. It needs full sun, poor to loamy soils, and mesic to dry conditions. Average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Tolerates some light shade. Also tolerates some drought once established. Will grow in a variety of soils including sandy, loamy or clay ones. Cultivation: under development. Management: standard (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation).

Propagating it: Seed. Plants may be slow to establish in the garden, particularly when grown from seed. Plants often self-seed in optimum growing conditions. Plants develop taproots. Once established, division is not recommended.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Rosinweed, Prairie Rosinweed, Wholeleaf Rosinweed, Whole-leaf rosinweed, Entire-leaf rosinweed

Synonyms

This species contains the following infraspecific taxa: Silphium integrifolium var. integrifolium. Silphium integrifolium var. laeve Torr. & A.Gray.