Sorghastrum nutans

Warm season; Perennial

Characteristics: 3–6’; upright to columnar; flowers bronze; foliage blue-green; fall color

Growing Conditions: full sun; hardy zones 3–8

A dominant grass in the tallgrass prairie, Indiangrass is a large grass that grows very upright. The seedheads are long, feathery spikes that appear yellow when pollen is shedding and turn bronze as the season continues.

Nativars:

• ‘Indian Steel’: upright with numerous, shiny bronze flowers, 5–6’.
• ‘Sioux Blue’: an excellent selection for gardens; showy yellow flowers, 5–5.5’.

Associated Lepidoptera:

Species that use Indiangrass according to the literature are pepper and salt skipper (Amblyscirtes hegon) and wheat head armyworm (Faronta diffusa).