St. Louis Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans 'St. Louis')
sor-GAS-trum NEW-tanz 'St. Louis'

Deciduous Perennial in the Poaceae Family

Sorghastrum nutans, Indian Grass, is a tall, erect warm-season native bunchgrass that was once a dominant component of the American tallgrass prairie. Bluish-green blades turn golden-yellow in fall, remaining attractively upright through most of winter.

In late summer, airy, yellowish-bronze plumes of flowering culms rise well above the foliage, producing abundant seed that is an important food source for birds, along with cover for wildlife and the insects that feed on it. Easily grown from seed and drought-tolerant once established, it is a staple of prairie restorations, meadows, and naturalized plantings, though its self-seeding habit makes it less suited to small, formal gardens.

Pros

  • Native tallgrass prairie species, excellent for restorations and meadows
  • Showy golden-bronze seed plumes and fall foliage color
  • Drought-tolerant once established; deer resistant

Cons

  • Self-seeds readily; may be too assertive for small, formal gardens
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 5 feet tall. 12 - 24 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance - Wet
Zones 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Deciduous, Full Sun, Full Sun, Nativar, Perennial, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant
Bloom Period September to February
Foliage Color
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Pricing and Availability History

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!