Silphium trifoliatum Linnaeus var. latifolium A. Gray

Southern Rosinweed

**

**

**

Southern Rosinweed is a native herbaceous perennial in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). It is native to the northern two-thirds of Alabama. Southern Rosinweed occurs in prairies, in cedar glades, in open woodlands, in pastures, along fence rows, and on roadsides. It is a perennial from a short rhizome or caudex. The stems are erect, glabrous, often glaucous, unbranched below the inflorescence, and 1-2 meters in height. Leaves are basal and cauline. Basal leaves are usually absent at flowering. Stem leaves are opposite, petiolate to sessile (upper), lanceolate to elliptic in outline, glabrous or sparsely hairy, with entire or toothed margins. Flowers are produced in heads. The heads are arranged in panicles or racemes. The phyllaries (bracts subtending the heads) are green in color, in 2-3 series, and rounded. They are pubescent on their outer surface. Each head has 12-20 yellow ray flowers and 35-130 yellow disc flowers. The pales (bracts subtending individual disc flowers) are non-glandular, but pubescent. Only the ray flowers are fertile. The fruit is an achene. Southern Rosinweed is available from some native plant nurseries. It prefers a well-draining soil in full sun. Plants may require staking to keep them upright.—A. Diamond

**

Native

**