• Photo by: Shirley Denton

Sorghastrum nutans

yellow Indiangrass

Nomenclature

Common Name:

yellow Indiangrass

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Sorghastrum nutans

Family:

Poaceae (Gramineae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

grass

Size:

3-5 (8) ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow

Fruit Color:

yellow,orange

Phenology:

winter dormant

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Fall Color

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Plant in the rear of a wildflower garden. The flower/fuit stalk is quite showy with a golden plume (the stamens are yellow)in mid-fall. The stems and fruit retain a golden straw color through the fall. The remainder of the year, the grass is much lower (about 2 ft) and blue-green in color.

Considerations:

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Availability:

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Propagation:

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Light:

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Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Somewhat moist, no flooding -to- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

Acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Birds

Larval host for pepper and salt skipper ( Amblyscirtes hegon ).

 Birds eat seeds.

Native Habitats:

Flatwoods, sandhills.

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

This was one of the important grasses of the mid-western prairies. Survives occasional flooding and repeated burning.