Johnson Grass

Sorghum halepense

Not native to South Carolina

Do not plant. Listed invasive in South Carolina.

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Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Bitter Panicgrass
Panicum amarum
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Sea Oats
Uniola paniculata
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

More natives for your garden

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Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

30CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including SC

Genus host records with ranges including SC · 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 30

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
Leucania subpunctataWhite-Dotted Wainscot, Forage Armyworm
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 rostranaOmnivorous Platynota
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)

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

South Carolina rank	Not available
Global rank	GNR
SC status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources