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Johnsongrass
Sorghum
halepense
 Identification
Tall, clump
forming, perennial grass; forms dense clumps or solid stands and
grows up to eight feet tall. Leaves are up to two feet long and
smooth with a white mid vein. Seed heads are red to rust in color
and the reddish brown seeds are large, up to 1/8 inch long.
Origin
Mediterranean
region
Habitat
Crop fields,
pastures, abandoned fields, forest edges, power and transportation
rights-of-way, wetlands, and ditches. Johnsongrass can tolerate
almost any soil condition and moisture content. It grows well in
almost all full sun locations; it is not shade tolerant.
Ecological
Threat
One of the world’s
worst invasive plants. It spreads aggressively, crowding out all
native vegetation and putting an end to all tree regeneration.
Mechanical control is almost impossible, because it will sprout
vegetatively from even the smallest fragment of rhizome left behind.
Is considered a noxious weed in 53 countries.
Recommended Native Alternatives
-
Little
bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
-
Indiangrass (Sorgastrum
nutans)
-
Switchgrass (Panicum
virgatum)
These pages are designed to give the
layperson a general overview of non-native invasive plants commonly
found in the upper Hiwassee River watershed. For more comprehensive
and technical information about a particular species, visit one of
the web sites from our
Links
page. |
