Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A cheerful, unkillable starter native that blooms its first year and seeds itself politely around.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
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- Plant guide
- Cup Plant
Yellow
Perennial wildflower
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
A prairie giant whose paired leaves hold rainwater for birds; goldfinches mob the seeds.
the Midwestthe Great Plainsthe Southeastthe Mid-Atlantic
Growing Cup Plant
Big and bold — give it space at the back of a damp border. The fused leaf 'cups' really do hold water that birds drink from. It’s showy, and fast-growing.
Where it grows
Cup Plant is native to the Midwest. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Colorado · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas and 26 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Cup Plant on 36 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Cup Plant
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Cup Plant’s range and conditions.
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Sunny gold daisies for weeks in early summer on the leanest, driest soil you can offer.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
The garden workhorse — months of nectar for bees and butterflies, then seed heads goldfinches strip all winter.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Big lacy flower heads in summer give way to purple-black berries for both birds and your kitchen.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul