Sorghum: The Ancient Grain That’s More Than Just Food
If you’ve ever wondered about those tall, stately grasses swaying in agricultural fields, you might be looking at sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). This robust annual grain has been feeding civilizations for thousands of years, but is it right for your garden? Let’s dig into what makes this grass tick and whether it deserves a spot in your landscape.
What Exactly Is Sorghum?
Sorghum goes by several names – you might hear it called durra, grain sorghum, or sorgo forrajero. It’s a tall, annual grass that can reach up to 4 feet in height, sporting dense green foliage with a coarse texture. Come late summer, it produces distinctive brown seed heads that are quite conspicuous and give the plant much of its visual appeal.
This isn’t your typical ornamental grass, though. Sorghum is fundamentally an agricultural crop, bred for grain production rather than garden beauty. Think of it as the practical cousin of more decorative grasses – useful, sturdy, but not exactly a showstopper.
Where Does Sorghum Come From?
Here’s where things get interesting from a native gardening perspective: sorghum isn’t native to North America at all. This grass originally hails from Africa, but it has thoroughly made itself at home across the United States. Today, you can find naturalized sorghum populations in almost every state, from Alabama to Wyoming, and from sea to shining sea.
While it’s considered non-native throughout North America, sorghum has established itself as a persistent presence in our landscape. It reproduces on its own and tends to stick around once it gets going, which speaks to its adaptability but also means it’s here to stay.
The Good, The Bad, and The Practical
So why might you want sorghum in your garden? Here are the pros:
- Drought tolerance: Once established, sorghum laughs in the face of dry spells
- Rapid growth: It shoots up quickly, making it useful as a seasonal screen
- Low maintenance: This grass doesn’t ask for much once it’s growing
- Adaptable: It tolerates various soil types, from coarse to fine textures
But there are some considerations:
- Limited ornamental value: It’s more functional than beautiful
- Short season: As an annual, it dies with the first frost
- Space hungry: It needs room to reach its full potential
- Minimal wildlife benefits: Large animals might nibble it occasionally, but it’s not a wildlife magnet
Growing Conditions and Care
If you decide to give sorghum a try, here’s what it needs to thrive:
Sun and Soil: Sorghum is a sun-worshipper that demands full sunlight and won’t tolerate shade. It’s quite flexible about soil types but prefers well-draining ground with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5.
Water Needs: While drought-tolerant once established, sorghum appreciates moderate moisture during its growing season. It’s not suited for consistently wet areas – most regions classify it as preferring upland conditions.
Climate Requirements: This warm-season grass needs at least 90 frost-free days to complete its cycle, making it suitable for USDA zones 6-11. It grows actively during summer and fall, with minimum temperatures around 47°F.
Planting and Propagation
Growing sorghum is refreshingly straightforward. It’s exclusively grown from seed – no fussing with transplants or divisions. Here’s your game plan:
- Wait until soil temperatures warm in late spring
- Direct seed into prepared soil
- Expect rapid germination and vigorous seedling growth
- Seeds are readily available commercially
- Each pound contains roughly 27,000 seeds, so a little goes a long way
The plant will bloom in late summer and produce seeds through fall. Don’t expect it to spread aggressively on its own – sorghum has a slow natural seed dispersal rate.
Best Uses in the Garden
Sorghum works best in specific situations:
- Annual screening: Plant it to create a temporary tall barrier
- Agricultural gardens: Perfect if you’re growing your own grains
- Large naturalized areas: Where you want something tough and low-maintenance
- Educational gardens: Great for teaching about food crops and global agriculture
Consider Native Alternatives
While sorghum isn’t invasive, native grass alternatives might better support local ecosystems. Consider these native options for similar tall grass effects:
- Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
- Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)
- Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides)
These natives offer similar height and texture while providing superior wildlife benefits and supporting local pollinators and birds.
The Bottom Line
Sorghum is a perfectly respectable plant with a long history of usefulness, but it’s more utilitarian than ornamental. If you’re looking for a quick-growing annual grass for practical purposes – temporary screening, grain production, or educational value – it could be a good fit. However, if you’re prioritizing native plants and wildlife support, you’ll find better options among North America’s native grasses.
Whatever you choose, remember that successful gardening is about matching the right plant to the right purpose. Sorghum knows what it is and does it well – sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
