The Old Cahawba Rosinweed

When people think of Old Cahawba, archaeology often comes to mind. But just beyond history grows a treasure—the Old Cahawba Rosinweed (Silphium perplexum), one of Alabama’s rarest wildflowers and a species found nowhere else on Earth.

This unique prairie plant was formally recognized as a new species in 2001 by botanist Jim Allison. The name, perplexum, reflects the mystery it posed to botanists for years as they worked to distinguish it from other rosinweeds.

The Old Cahawba Rosinweed has an incredibly limited range. It grows only in parts of Dallas, Perry, and Bibb Counties, within about eight miles of the Cahaba River, where native Black Belt prairie and chalky soils provide ideal conditions.

Although the rosinweed does not grow inside the archaeological park, visitors can find it nearby at the Old Cahawba Prairie Tract kiosk on County Road 9 and near the “T” intersection of County Road 9 and County Road 2. The bright yellow flowers begin to bloom in late July, so make sure you look for them.

Old Cahawba is a place where history and nature come together. Within just a few miles, you can explore Alabama’s first state capital and discover a wildflower that exists nowhere else in the world.

Sometimes the rarest treasures aren’t buried—they’re blooming right beside us.