View source for Silphium laciniatum

{{SPlantbox
|familia=Asteraceae
|genus=Silphium
|species=laciniatum
|common_name=Compass plant
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|habit=herbaceous
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Min ht box=5
|Min ht metric=ft
|Max ht box=10
|Max ht metric=ft
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Min wd box=3
|Min wd metric=ft
|Max wd box=4
|Max wd metric=ft
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|lifespan=perennial
|exposure=sun, part-sun
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|features=flowers, drought tolerant
|flower_season=early summer, mid summer, late summer
|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|flowers=orange, yellow
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=4
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|max_zone=9
|image=Compass_plant.jpg
|image_width=180
}}
'''''Silphium laciniatum''''' ('''Compass Flower''', '''Compass Plant''' or '''Rosinweed''') is a species of [[flowering plant]] in the genus ''[[rosinweed|Silphium]]''. It is native to east-central [[North America]].

It is a [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[herbaceous]] plant similar in appearance to a [[sunflower]], growing to 1-4 m tall, with bristly-hairy stems. The [[leaf|leaves]] are alternately arranged, and deeply pinnately lobed; the basal leaves up to 40&nbsp;cm long, becoming smaller higher up the stem. The [[flower]]s are produced in [[inflorescence|flowerheads]] (capitula) 5-12&nbsp;cm diameter, with a ring of ray florets surrounding the 2-3&nbsp;cm diameter center of disc [[Flower|floret]]s. Flowering is in late summer, typically from July to September.

Compass plants are so named because they tend to align their foliage '''East-West''' to present the minimum surface area to the hot noon sunshine. The taproot of the compass plant may grow to more than 9-14 ft. deep, making it hardy and resistant to drought.

{{Inc|
Silphium laciniatum, Linn. Compass Plant. St. about 6 ft. high, leafy at the base, much less so above, very rough: lvs. 1 ft. long or more, once or twice pinnately parted, the lobes oblong or lanceolate: fl.-heads several, sessile or short-peduncled, 2-5 in. across; rays 20-30. July-Sept. Ohio, west and south.— It is said of this species that the st.-lvs. tend to point north and south.
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==Cultivation==


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==Gallery==

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==References==
<references/>
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

==External links==
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