Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)
Sorghastrum nutans · Warm-season, Perennial, C4
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Native Prairie Grass / Ornamental / Forage
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Andropogoneae
Variety / Cultivar
Native wild type / Cultivars include 'Tomahawk', 'Chief'
About This Grass
Tall native prairie bunchgrass growing 3 to 7 feet tall. Features blue-green to green leaves and distinctive golden-brown plume-like seed heads at maturity.
Blade Characteristics
Medium to coarse width blades, flat, pointed tips, blue-green color, rolled vernation, with a prominent membranous ligule and a distinctive claw-like auricle (or appendage) at the collar.
Root System
Deep, fibrous root system with short rhizomes, providing excellent drought tolerance and soil stabilization once established.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to central and eastern North America, highly adapted to the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.
Growth Habit
Bunch-type with short, scaly rhizomes, forming moderate clumps
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun and well-drained soils. Low water needs once established, highly drought-tolerant.
Mowing & Maintenance
Low maintenance. Can be cut back annually in late winter or early spring if used in ornamental settings. Not a traditional turfgrass.
Special Characteristics
Excellent drought and heat tolerance, good erosion control on slopes, provides high-quality forage for livestock.
Ecological Information
Key component of the North American tallgrass prairie. Provides vital cover, nesting sites, and food for various wildlife species, birds, and pollinators.