Johnson Grass

Sorghum halepense

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in fields, pastures, roadsides, waste places, cultivated fields. A serious weed, difficult to eradicate. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

-55

Severe harm

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

Profile 76%

Height: About 3.5 feet
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

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Do not plant. Listed invasive in Arkansas.

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Eastern Narrowleaf Sedge
Carex amphibola
Sun: Partial shade, Full shade, Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to average. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Broomsedge
Andropogon virginicus
Sun: Part shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to average. Flowers: Yellow.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Sun: Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Purple.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

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At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: April to December
Fruiting season: Summer to fall

JFMAMJJASOND

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 54 Arkansas counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Arkansas. Shared habitat, not food. 38 animals.

Green Heron
Butorides virescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Neotropic Cormorant
Phalacrocorax brasilianus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ruffed Grouse
Bonasa umbellus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Swamp Sparrow
Melospiza georgiana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wilson's Warbler
Wilsonia pusilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-throated Warbler
Dendroica dominica
Birds. 1 shared habitat

Widespread birds also seen here (76)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of Arkansas

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

17BirdsRecorded eating Sorghum in Arkansas

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes Arkansas, most records first.

Mourning DoveSeeds. 17 diet records
Brown-headed Cowbird12 diet records
Red-winged Blackbird12 diet records
Northern Bobwhite10 diet records
Sandhill CraneSeeds. 10 diet records
Brewer's Blackbird4 diet records
Common Grackle2 diet records
Canada GooseSeeds. 2 diet records
Common Ground-dove2 diet records
House Sparrow2 diet records

Show all 17

American Crow1 diet record
Black-bellied Whistling-DuckSeeds. 1 diet record
Great-tailed Grackle1 diet record
Northern Cardinal1 diet record
Rock Pigeon1 diet record
Snow GooseSeeds. 1 diet record
White-crowned SparrowSeeds. 1 diet record

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Birds that eat Sorghum 17

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
Seeds. 17 diet records
Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater
12 diet records
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
12 diet records
Northern Bobwhite
Colinus virginianus
10 diet records
Sandhill Crane
Grus canadensis
Seeds. 10 diet records
Brewer's Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus
4 diet records
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
2 diet records
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Seeds. 2 diet records
Common Ground-dove
Columbina passerina
2 diet records
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
2 diet records
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
1 diet record
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
Seeds. 1 diet record
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
1 diet record
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
1 diet record
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
1 diet record
Snow Goose
Chen caerulescens
Seeds. 1 diet record
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Seeds. 1 diet record

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Hardiness: Zones 6a–10b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: Brown/copper
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Spreads by rhizomes
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to December” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Brown/copper” · 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 · “Spreads by rhizomes” · 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 6a–10b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “About 3.5 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Life cycle · “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” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

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

Conservation source Global and federal source