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Indian Grass

Sorghastrum nutans

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Category
Grass / Sedge / Rush
Sun
Full to Partial
Soil moisture
Medium to Dry
Bloom time
Aug–Sep
Bloom color
Yellow
Notes
Warm, Aggressive

About Indian Grass

Indian Grass is a majestic giant of the tallgrass prairie, a warm-season grass that provides year-round beauty and immense ecological value. Growing three to eight feet tall, it features blue-green blades that turn a stunning golden-bronze in the autumn. In late summer, it produces large, feathery, plume-like seed heads of a rich metallic gold, accented by bright yellow anthers that shimmer in the sun. Native across nearly all of the lower 48 states, it is a cornerstone species of the prairie, providing essential nesting habitat and cover for birds and small mammals. It also serves as a larval host for several butterfly and moth species. Indian Grass is incredibly resilient, thriving in full sun and a variety of soil types, from dry and sandy to moist and heavy. Its deep root system makes it exceptionally drought-tolerant and effective for erosion control. In the landscape, it serves as a magnificent vertical accent, a backdrop for wildflowers, or a key component of a restored prairie meadow, maintaining an upright winter silhouette for architectural interest.

Native range

Native to 44 states:

AlabamaArkansasArizonaColoradoConnecticutD.C.DelawareFloridaGeorgiaIowaIllinoisIndianaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMassachusettsMarylandMaineMichiganMinnesotaMissouriMississippiMontanaNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaVermontWisconsinWest VirginiaWyoming

County range map

BONAP county-level native range map for Sorghastrum nutans

Range map courtesy of BONAP (Biota of North America Program).

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