Quercus

Johnson Grass

Sorghum halepense

Not native to Kentucky

Do not plant. Listed invasive in Kentucky.

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Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

23CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · 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 rileyiPink Scavanger Caterpillar
  • Dargida diffusaWheat Head Armywotm Moth
  • Diatraea crambidoidesSouthern Cornstalk Borer
  • Dicymolomia julianalisJulia's Dicymolomia
Show all 23
  • Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Leucania multilineaMany-Lined Wainscot
  • 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
  • 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)
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 · “Late summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Flower color · “Brown/copper” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • 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
Also known as

Johnson Grass

Conservation status

Kentucky rankSNA
Global rankGNR
KY statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources