ingenuity on display

This is the kind of ingenuity you expect to see in dry, arid regions–leaves that fuse together to capture rain water. But this is not a desert dwelling plant, this structural charmer is native to the eastern United State. The “cups” of water, formed along the stems, are attractive to birds as a water source. The small yellow flowers are attractive to pollinators, and the undersides of the leaves are attractive homes for insects. And that repetitive “Y” branching is attractive to this particular nature lover. I call that a perfect trefecta. Cup plant for the win!

cup plant in winter (Silphium perfoliatum)