Johnson Grass

Sorghum halepense

Found in fields, pastures, roadsides, waste places, cultivated fields. A serious weed, difficult to eradicate. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

-55

Severe harm

Not native to Virginia. 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 Virginia.

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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
Graceful Sedge
Carex gracillima
Sun: Part to full shade. Soil: Average to moist. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Bitter Panicgrass
Panicum amarum
Sun: Full sun. Soil: Dry to moist. Flowers: Pink.
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

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 92 Virginia 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

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

25CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Sorghum

Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
Acronicta insularisHenry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar
Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
Amblyscirtes hegonPepper and Salt Skipper
Anatrachyntis badiaFlorida Pink Scavanger Caterpillar
Anatrachyntis rileyiPink Scavanger Caterpillar
Dargida diffusaWheat Head Armywotm Moth
Diatraea crambidoidesSouthern Cornstalk Borer
Dicymolomia julianalisJulia's Dicymolomia
Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer

Show all 25

Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Hydraecia immanisHop Borer, Hop Vine Borer
Lerema acciusClouded Skipper, Corn Leaf tier
Lerodea eufalaEufala Skipper, Gray Skipper, Rice Leafroller
Leucania subpunctataWhite-Dotted Wainscot, Forage Armyworm
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 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 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” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (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

Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source