A native warm-season prairie grass with distinctive golden-yellow seed heads in late summer. Excellent for ornamental gardens and pollinator-friendly meadows.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Sorghastrum nutans, known as Indiangrass, is a North American prairie grass found in the United States and Canada, especially in the Great Plains and tallgrass prairies. It is sometimes called Indian grass, yellow Indian-grass, or wood grass.
Source: Wikipedia — Sorghastrum nutans Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Tall warm-season grass with bronze-yellow seed plumes in late summer.
Similar species. Big Bluestem (turkey-foot seed head). Switchgrass (different seed structure).
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. N/A — photosynthesis
Behavior. Iconic tallgrass prairie species. State grass of Oklahoma and South Carolina.
§ Range
Tallgrass prairie regions
§ Habitat
Tallgrass prairies, restorations
§ Threats
Prairie loss, ornamental monocultures.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the yellow indiangrass is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Plant in prairie gardens. Support prairie restoration. Don't mow during seed set.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Sorghastrum nutans
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Sorghastrum nutans
- iNaturalist · taxon 75942
- IUCN Red List — search for Sorghastrum nutans
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Sorghastrum nutans
§ Sources cited
- USDA Plants Database
- The Nature Conservancy
