Silphium laciniatum- Compass Plant Size:SILLAC-PINT Ozark Bluestar forms tight clusters

Ozark Bluestar forms tight clusters of star-shaped light blue flowers that appear in April and May when pollinators are limited to only a few food sources

well-drained locations

Birds flock to eat the nutritious seeds that result from pollination by plentiful insect visitors

Bloom Time: April

sticky stems shoot high up above its signature leaves and bear  numerous

Silphium laciniatum- Compass Plant Size:SILLAC-PINT Ozark Bluestar forms tight clustersCompass Plant was a standout staple of the tallgrass prairie that once covered what is now the state of Illinois, towering above even its tallest neighbors. Its name refers to the north south orientation of its large, rough textured and deeply lobed basal leaves, which can be used to determine cardinal directions. The evolutionary reason for this orientation is to conserve water by shielding the face of the leaves from the hottest rays of the sun.