Sorghastrum secundum
Lopsided Indiangrass
Poaceae (Gramineae)
Plant Specifics
Form: | Grass | |
Size: | 1 to 6 ft tall by 1 ft wide | |
Life Span: | Short-lived perennial | |
Flower Color: | Yellow | |
Fruit Color: | Yellow | |
Phenology: | Winter dormant | |
Noted for: | Showy flowers, Showy fruits |
Landscaping
Recommended Uses: | Typically grown in the background of a wildflower garden as its tall flower stalks are only visible in fall. The remainder of the year is looks like a moderate-sized grass. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Considerations: | In the landscape will need annual cutting back. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Propagation: | Seed, division of clumps. Seeds are available through the Florida Wildflowers Growers Cooperative. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Availability: | Native nurseries, Seed, Specialty providers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Light: | Full Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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(Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Short very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: | Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Short very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil pH: |
Ecology
Wildlife: |
Swarthy Skipper (Nastra lherminier), Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone arogos), Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala) and Twin Spot Skipper (Oligoria maculate). | |
Insects: | Larval host plant for Delaware skipper (Anatrytone logan), dusted skipper (Atrytonopsis hianna) and swarthy skipper (Nastra lherminier) (IRC). | |
Native Habitats: | Dry-moist sites. Flatwoods, secondary pinelands, sandhill. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 11 8A 8B 9A 9B

USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures