Sun Exposure: Sun, Part Sun
Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Soil Type: Sand, Loam, Loam-Clay
Height: 3 - 7 feet
Spread: 2 - 3 feet
Blooms: August, September
Root: Fibrous, Rhizome
Habitat: Prairies, Savannas, Open woodlands, Woodland borders, Limestone glades
Landscape uses: Pollinator garden, Meadow planting, Naturalization, Winter interest
Complimentary Plants: Wild bergamot, Yellow Coneflower, Oxeye Sunflower, Smooth Aster
Wildlife Value: Several insects feed on this prairie grass such as grasshoppers, leafhoppers. Birds feed on these insects, as well as the seeds. Host Plant: Pepper and Salt Skipper and the Ottoe Skipper.
Seed Origin: Wasaga Beach, Ontario
Germination Code: A
Photo credits: #2 by USDA NRCS Texas
Sorghastrum nutans - Indian Grass
Indian Grass is one of the first warm season grasses to form seed heads, which have a bronze colour and bloom little yellow flowers in summer. It is a key species in Ontario's tallgrass prairie ecosystems. It is valued for it’s blue-gray foliage and tall, vertical stature. Different species of grasshoppers and caterpillars will feed on the blades of Indian Grass; in turn these insects are important food sources for upland game birds and song birds.