Silphium compositum Michx. var. compositum

Composite Leaf Rosinweed

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Composite Leaf Rosinweed is a native perennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It occurs throughout most of Alabama, except for the western counties. Composite Leaf Rosinweed grows in Longleaf pine forests, scrub oak sandhills, dry pine and mixed pine/hardwood forests, and in rocky woods. It is a perennial from a taproot. It has large basal leaves that vary in shape from ovate or reniform and toothed to leaves that are deeply pinnately or palmately lobed. They are very large—often twelve to eighteen inches in length. Leafless flower stalks up to eight feet in height are produced in the late spring and summer. Flowers are produced in heads with the typical large rounded phyllaries (bracts subtending the heads) that all Silphiums produce. Ray and disc flowers are yellow. Composite Leaf Rosinweed is available from some wildflower nurseries. It can also be grown from seed. Seed can be sown as soon as they are mature and some will germinate with more germinating the next spring after cool winter temperatures. Plant seed directly in the garden or in deep pots to prevent damage to the long taproots. Composite Leaf Rosinweed is drought tolerant and the seed are eaten by a variety of song birds during the winter. It prefers sandy, well-draining soils and full sunlight. It can be planted towards the back of a bed with other perennials such as Blazing Stars (Liatris), Sunflowers (Helianthus), Asters (Symphyotrichum), and various mints (Salvia, Pycnanthemum).--A. Diamond

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Native

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