Indian grass
Sorghastrum nutans
USDA zones3 to 9
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size3 to 5 feet tall12 to 24 inches wide
- Habit
- Grass/grass-like
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Light brown with yellow stamens
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) is a grass for meadows, rain gardens, naturalized areas, and pollinator gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and dry to moist soil of most types. The grass stays low most of the year and then gets tall before blooming in early autumn. Plant it in large groups or in a wildflower meadow. Deer rarely make it their first choice.
Pairs well with Aromatic aster, Prairie dropseed, and New Jersey tea.
Native range
Eastern and central United States.