Sorghastrum nutans

Indian Grass is a perennial, ornamental grass species that can grow up to 1.5 m in height. The leaves are upright, slender, blueish green coloured, and change an orange yellow colour in the fall. The flowers are narrow, feathery, have an attractive reddish brown colour with yellow parts, and bloom between September and February. Indian Grass is easy to grow and is low maintenance. This plant spreads well and can form small colonies. The roots can useful for controlling erosion and stabilizing shorelines. The seeds are also beneficial to wildlife species, like birds and small mammals.

Indian Grass grows best in dry to moist conditions with full or partial sun exposure. It grows well in a variety of soil types, including loam, sand, clay, and rock. It is tolerant of drought, poor and infertile soil, steep slopes, and air pollution. This grass can be naturally found in open forests, forest edges, prairies, sandy slopes, roadsides, and along river or lake shorelines.

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Scientific Name: Sorghastrum nutans
Type: Ground Cover
Height: 1.5 m
Spread: 2 m
Moisture Level: dry, moist
Light Conditions: full sun, part sun
Soil Conditions: sand, clay, loam, rocky
Zone (Hardiness of Canada):