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Indiangrass

Sorghastrum nutans

Other common name(s):

Yellow Indiangrass, Indian Grass

Family:

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains
Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift
Coastal Sand Plain, Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Canadian/Cimarron High Plains, Llano Estacado, Rolling Sand Plains
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Grass & Sedge

Height

3
to
6
ft.

Spread

1
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Limestone, Poor Drainage

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Fall

Seasonal Interest

Seeds, Forage, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals, Bees

Maintenance

Leave dead stems standing through Fall and Winter for insect habitat. Cut back dead stems in February before Spring growth. Frequently used for erosion control. Propagation: Seed.

Comments

Bright golden flowers and blue-green blades make a nice garden accent or are nice in a moist swale with seep or Gulf muhly. Stays low most of the year and grows tall before blooming in early autumn, Native Habitat: Prairies; open woods; fields; dry slopes. It is an important dominant of tallgrass prairies. Found only on well-managed sites or in protected areas. Larval Host: Pepper-and-Salt Skipper butterfly.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym(s): Andropogon nutans, Sorghastrum avenaceum

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 133. 3) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SONU2. 4) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Sorghastrum+nutans&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 5) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=19022&locationType=County&mapType=Normal, 6) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=42102#null, 7) Hatch, Umphres, Ardoin, 2015, Field Guide to Common Texas Grasses, pg 258

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Native Plant Society of Texas
PO Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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