Silphium

Silphium perfoliatum, the cup plant, is a dramatically large native perennial that makes a powerful structural statement in the open, sunny meadow gardens and naturalistic borders of Martha's Vineyard, its robust stems reaching six to eight feet and bearing cheerful yellow daisy-like flowers from July through September. The unique cup-like formations where leaves clasp the stem collect rainwater, creating tiny bird baths that attract warblers and other migrating songbirds during the island's active fall migration period. It thrives in the full-sun, average to moist sandy soils of open properties in West Tisbury and on the larger estate grounds of Edgartown, where its scale can be properly accommodated.

Deer resistance is reliable, and once established the plant requires minimal maintenance. Estate Care professionals specify it in large-scale native border and meadow programs where ecological drama, wildlife habitat function, and bold seasonal presence are the defining design ambitions.