The Aldo Leopold Nature Center and the Madison Science Museum are pleased to bring you a free public lecture by George Archibald, Co-founder & Senior Conservationist at the International Crane Foundation and visionary leader in international conservation efforts for four decades. When people commit to saving cranes, we join together to take action based on our shared values […]
Compass plant is towering over the prairie!![]()
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‘Silphium laciniatum’ is easily identifiable with its prominent height ranging from 5’ to 12’, making it one of the tallest plants of the prairie, and a helpful marker for navigation. This impressive native perennial is a member of the sunflower family that blooms in late June and persists through August. Its thick central stem branches into flowering stems in the upper part of the plant, with an abundant number of yellow flowers that will catch your eye! The plant’s large leaves are also very unique with deep lobes and a rough, hairy texture.![]()
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This plant minimizes its sun exposure by orienting its leaves vertically to avoid the hot overhead sunlight, while the flat surfaces of the leaves face East and West to take advantage of cooler morning and evening light for photosynthesis. This is characteristic of the sunflower family, as the early morning light attracts more bees and helps the plants reproduce more effectively. Additionally, this characteristic produces a near perfect north-south direction of the leaves, which is reflected in its name. ![]()
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The plant is not only a helpful navigator, but was used by Pawnee, Santee Dakota, Omahas, and Pocas Nations for medicinal use. While the use often differed in different indigenous nations, some of those uses included a tea that was said to help “general debility”, to rid horses of worms, and a general horse tonic. Additionally, the compass plant was used by nineteenth century doctors as an antipyretic, diuretic, emetic, expectorant, tonic, styptic, antispasmodic, and a stimulant. Additionally, the dry, hardened sap or powdered root of the compass plant can be used as an alternative to chewing gum and cleaning your teeth. ![]()
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What signs of summer do you see? Visit us for a hike or take a walk around your neighborhood looking for cyclical events influenced by seasonal changes.![]()
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Photo: Aldo Leopold Nature Center![]()
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#PhenologyFriday #CompassPlant #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside
