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Indiangrass
(Sorghastrum nutans)
Indiangrass is a warm season bunch grass native to most ot the United States. It spreads by seed and scaly underground rhizomes. This perennial produces a tall robust, vigorous plant three to eight feet tall. It has wide blue-green leaves and panicles eight to twelve inches long that are bronze colored. Indiangrass is both cold and drought tolerant.
Because of its height and palatability, good grazing management is necessary. Limit grazing until a good stand of plants ten to twelve inches tall are established. Excellent hay may be cut when the seed heads are in the boot stage.
Indiangrass is normally not found to be a dominant species but is considered a valu- able grass in blends and should be used in reseeding on range sites.
Seeds are chaffy and a special chaffy grass drill is needed for planting. Planting depth should be 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch, using 4 1⁄2 to 5 pure live seed pounds per acre. Generally, spring is the best time of the year to plant.
Indiangrass can be found on prairies, bot- tom lands and in all soil textures through- out the eastern half of the United States, as well as the desert southwest.