Bear’s Foot yellow blooms show up in mid- to late summer in clusters of two to five flower heads.
By Diane Arington
Like most (every?!) gardeners, I love going to browse a good plant nursery. My personal favorite is Pine Ridge Gardens in Dardanelle, AR. One reason being they grow a plethora of native Arkansas plants.
In spring 2025, I came home with two Bear’s Foot plants (among others). Something about these little plants captured my attention. I was happy and excited to get them planted in my front yard Hosta bed. I thought a little height up next to the house would be a nice addition to the Hostas and Solomon Seals.
Here we are a year and a half later, and the Bear’s Foot did not disappoint. Bear’s Foot, Smallanthus uvedalia, is sometimes referred to as Yellow Leafcup or Hairy Leafcup. It is a tall herbaceous perennial in the Aster family. It’s an Arkansas native. When fully mature, it can reach 5’ or more!
It takes about two years to fully mature and bloom. Yellow blooms show up in mid to late summer (typically July). They appear in clusters of two to five flower heads around the upper perimeter of the plant and tend to face outward or downward. In February, new stems will begin to arise. The large leaves resemble a bear’s footprint. The leaves are dark green and maple-like in shape. The larger of my Bear’s Foot plants now measures 5’ in height.
The roots of Bear’s Foot are in a tight clump of irregular to tuberous forms. Stems are stout and round about 1” in diameter. The stem is hollow, making it a great source for bee hibernation. For this reason, you may want to leave the plant untrimmed in winter. The bees will thank you.
Diane Arington volunteers with Garland County Master Gardeners of the UofA Div. of Agriculture, Cooperative Ext. Service. Master Gardeners pool skills and resources to improve home horticulture, stimulate interest in plants and gardening, and encourage beautification.
