Sorghastrum nutans
Description: Perennial with short, stout, scaly rhizomes. Culms to 2.5 m tall and 4.5 mm thick. Ligules 2-6 mm long, membranous. Sheath auricles prominent. Spikelets golden brown or straw-colored.
Location: Found in prairies, open woodlands, savannahs, and shrublands. Found in eastern 2/3 of Texas.
Soil Type: Most soils.
Trivia: One of the 4 dominant grasses of the “true or tallgrass prairie.” Young plants are a source of cyanide poisoning. It is the state grass of Oklahoma.
Economic, Environmental Importance: Erosion control, roadside stabilization, and land restoration. Some cultivars are available for landscaping. Good livestock and fair wildlife values.
stxflora 