Common Name: Indian grass
Type: Ornamental grass
Family: Poaceae
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 3.00 to 5.00 feet
Spread: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: August to September
Bloom Description: Tan-yellow
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Medium
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Colorful, Good Fall
Attracts: Birds
Other: Winter Interest
Tolerate: Drought, Erosion, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil, Black Walnut, Air Pollution
Culture
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerant of a wide range of soils including heavy clays. Does well in poor, dry, infertile soils. Tends to open up and/or flop in moist, rich soils however. May naturalize by self-seeding in optimum growing conditions. Cut back to the ground in late winter to early spring just before the new growth appears.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Sorghastrum nutans, commonly called Indian grass, is a warm season Missouri native perennial grass which typically occurs in prairies, glades and open woods throughout the State. It was one of the dominant grasses of the tallgrass prairie which once covered large parts of the Midwest. Typically grows 3-5' tall (less frequently to 6') and is noted for its upright form and blue-green foliage. It forms upright clumps (to 2-3' tall) of slender, blue-green leaves (to 1/2" wide and 2' long). Foliage turns orange-yellow in fall and usually retains hints of color into the winter. Stiff, vertical flowering stems, topped with narrow, feathery, light brown flower panicles (to 12" long) highlighted with yellow stamens, rise well above the foliage clump in late summer to 5-6' tall. Panicles darken to bronze/chestnut brown in fall as they mature, later fading to gray. Panicles continue to provide some interest well into winter and the seeds are attractive to birds.
Genus name come from Greek and means a poor imitation of sorghum.
Specific epithet means to nod or nodding.
'Indian Steel' is a clump-forming perennial grass with an upright, open habit typically growing 3-5' tall (including the height of the inflorescences), but occasionally taller. Features slender (1/2" wide), blue-green leaf blades (8-12" long) which turn yellow in fall and retain some gold color throughout the winter. Narrow, feathery panicles (to 12" long) of tan-yellow flowers appear well above the foliage in late summer to early fall. Panicles turn bronze in fall and continue to provide interest into early winter.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Mass or blend into prairies, meadows, wild or naturalized areas. Vertical accent for borders. Also effective on slopes for erosion control.
Foliage has good year round interest.