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Rosinweed

Silphium asteriscus (SIL-phee-um as-ter-IS-kus)

Family: Asteraceae Native Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Rosinweed is a 3 foot tall, herbaceous perennial. It is native to the eastern US, including North Carolina. The leaves are alternate, sometimes opposite, and are covered by fine hairs. Lemon-yellow flower heads about the size of silver dollars appear in late summer. The name rosinweed comes from the resinous sap which, when dried, was used by Native Americans as a breath-freshening chewing gum. Note that there is a high level of local variability throughout its range. Seasons of Interest: Bloom: Late summer; Fruit/Seed/Nut: Fall

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 37 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Inula helenium

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Native Plant; Wildflower
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Hairs present
No
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Showy
Flower detail
Blooms from June to September
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit detail
Displays from July to October.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central and eastern North America
Wildlife value
Flowers are attractive to butterflies and songbirds may eat the seeds.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators; Songbirds
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Native Garden; Pollinator Garden
Garden tags
#showy flowers #goldenrod #native garden #NC native #native wildflower #food source nectar #food source pollen #food source fall #bird friendly #butterfly friendly #Audubon #food source hard mast fruit #wildlife friendly #pollinator plant #wildflower #herbaceous perennial #NC Native Pollinator Plant #moth friendly
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Drought
Particularly resistant to
Rosinweed is moderately deer resistant.
Propagation
Seed

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.