Sorghum

Sorghum bicolor

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Not native

Not native to Arkansas. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: 2–3 feet
Spread: 2–3 feet
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to moist

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Sorghum bicolor — whole plant photograph — (c) zebedeugalinha, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

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Fox Sedge
Carex vulpinoidea
Sun: Full to part sun. Soil: Moist to wet. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, spread
Sallow Sedge
Carex lurida
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Green or inconspicuous.
Similar growth form, height, spread
Bush's Sedge
Carex bushii
Sun: Partial shade, Full sun. Soil: Dry to moist. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

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At a glance

Life cycle: Annual or perennial
Bloom: Late summer
Fruiting season: Summer to fall

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 5 Arkansas counties.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

28CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

Genus host records with ranges including AR · Sorghum

Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
Acronicta insularisHenry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar
Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
Agrotis malefidaRascal Dart, Pale-Sided Cut-Worm, Shagreened Cut-Worm
Amblyscirtes belliBell's Roadside-Skipper
Amblyscirtes hegonPepper and Salt Skipper
Anatrachyntis badiaFlorida Pink Scavanger Caterpillar
Anatrachyntis rileyiPink Scavanger Caterpillar
Dargida diffusaWheat Head Armywotm Moth
Diatraea crambidoidesSouthern Cornstalk Borer

Show all 28

Dicymolomia julianalisJulia's Dicymolomia
Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Lerema acciusClouded Skipper, Corn Leaf tier
Lerodea eufalaEufala Skipper, Gray Skipper, Rice Leafroller
Leucania multilineaMany-Lined Wainscot
Mocis disseveransYellow Mocis
Mocis latipesSmall Mocis, Striped Grass Looper
Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
Nastra lherminierSwarthy Skipper
Nola cereellaSorghum Cutworm, Sorghum Webworm Moth, Sorgham Webworm Moth
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
Spodoptera albulaWhite-Spotted Armyworm, Gray-Streaked Armyworm
Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Astala confederata

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

23BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Sorghum

Agelaius phoeniceusRed-winged Blackbird
Anser caerulescensSnow Goose
Antigone canadensisSandhill Crane
Branta canadensisCanada Goose
Callipepla gambeliiGambel's Quail
Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
Columba liviaRock Pigeon
Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
Corvus brachyrhynchosAmerican Crow

Show all 23

Corvus cryptoleucusChihuahuan Raven
Cyrtonyx montezumaeMontezuma Quail
Dendrocygna autumnalisBlack-bellied Whistling-Duck
Euphagus cyanocephalusBrewer's Blackbird
Molothrus aterBrown-headed Cowbird
Passer domesticusHouse Sparrow
Quiscalus majorBoat-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanusGreat-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus quisculaCommon Grackle
Tympanuchus pallidicinctusLesser Prairie-Chicken
Zenaida asiaticaWhite-winged Dove
Zenaida macrouraMourning Dove
Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Hardiness: Zones 2a–11b
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Brown/copper or yellow
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Grows in clumps
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

What its natural habitat tells you

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Late summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “Brown/copper or yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Grows in clumps” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 2a–11b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “2–3 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Life cycle · “Annual or perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry; Very dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “2–3 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Sorghum vulgare

Conservation status

Arkansas rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
AR status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source