The Prairie Cup

Foraging…The prairie cup plant looks strangely out of place along a stretch of abandoned Rock Island railroad track. Cup plant isa magnet for hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. The young leaves can be boiled and served as a potherb. The crushed roots can be used as an expectorant. I’ve personally used the mashed plant as a styptic to help stop bleeding from minor cuts. Some gardeners plant them simply to enjoy the yellow flowers that arrive in summer