As we head into the heat of the summer season, we can always count on Silphium perfoliatum, commonly known as the cup plant, to brighten our day. This sunflower-like bloom is just coming into its full show in the Medford Campus Community Building parking lot. It is tough and strong, easily tolerant of the heat and drought. If you take a close look, you will see that the leaves of the plant come together in pairs to envelope the stem, forming a cup. The cups collect whatever rain may come our way. This plant is a stalwart if you have a large border for it to spread its wings.
