Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
A towering fall sunflower whose stems are studded top to bottom with gold, then thick with seed for birds.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
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- Compass Plant
Yellow
Perennial wildflower
Compass Plant
Silphium laciniatum
A signature tallgrass-prairie plant with a taproot that can plunge fifteen feet down.
the Midwestthe Great Plainsthe South-Central region
Growing Compass Plant
Slow to establish while it builds that root, then effectively permanent and drought-proof. The deeply cut basal leaves orient north-south — the 'compass.' It’s deer-resistant, and drought-tolerant.
Where it grows
Compass Plant is native to the Midwest. In the wild you’ll find it across Arkansas · Colorado · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Michigan · Minnesota and 15 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Compass Plant on 25 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Compass 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 Compass Plant’s range and conditions.
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
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
A prairie giant whose paired leaves hold rainwater for birds; goldfinches mob the seeds.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
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