Indian Grass, Sorghastrum nutans, is a native, bunching, sod-forming grass with broad blue/green blades and soft, plumed seed-heads. This warm season grass is a staple of our tall-grass prairies and favored for livestock grazing. Indian grass gives a beautiful seasonal display or gold and purple flowers and seeds in autumn. This grass would be great for a rain garden as it's highly drought tolerant but can also tolerate moist soils. In addition to being food and habitat for birds and small mammals, Indian Grass is a larval host for the Salt-and-Pepper Skipper Butterfly.

Scientific Name: Sorghastrum nutans

Origin: Texas, North America

Height: Up to 8 feet

Spread: Sod-forming, spreads by underground rhizomes

Light: Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Water: Medium

Blooms: August to October

USDA Zones: 3-9