False Yellow Sorghum

Sorghastrum nutans

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  • Common name
    False Yellow Sorghum
  • Latin name
    Sorghastrum nutans
  • Plant type
    perennial
  • Flower color
    Airy, feathery golden-yellow to bronze flower plumes highlighted by bright yellow stamens. The seedheads fade to a warm chestnut brown as winter approaches.
  • Bloom time
    Late summer through fall
  • Height
    36-60"
  • Chelsea chop
    Yes
  • Light requirements
    Full sun.
  • Moisture
    Prefers dry to medium moisture. It is highly versatile, adapting easily to anything from dry clay ridges to moist sandy soils, and possesses outstanding drought tolerance once its deep roots establish
  • Native to Ontario
    Yes
  • Locally native
    Yes
  • Deer resistant
    Yes
  • Ecological benefit
    It acts as a critical larval host plant for native skipper butterflies, including the Pepper and Salt Skipper, Ottoae Skipper, and Dusted Skipper. The heavy, dense seed plumes provide critical winter foraging for local songbirds long after other food sources have vanished.Leaving its rigid, tall vertical straw standing through the snow provides essential nesting structure, windbreaks, and cover for wildlife during harsh winters.
  • Notes
    Like Big Bluestem, too much shade or overly fertile soil causes its tall vertical stems to weaken and flop. Plant it shoulder-to-shoulder with other competitive native species to limit its underground spread and give the stems physical support. Much like Big Bluestem, its dense fibrous root systems lock down loose soil particles, making it exceptional for stabilizing dry slopes, shorelines, or rocky meadows.
  • Picture
    False Yellow Sorghum