Indian Grass
Tall, warm-season perennial bunchgrass growing 3-7 feet tall. Forms graceful clumps with blue-green summer foliage that turns brilliant golden-yellow in fall. Produces distinctive golden, plume-like flower clusters in late summer. Deep root system provides excellent drought tolerance. Slower to establish than some prairie grasses but very reliable once mature. Important component of prairie ecosystems and excellent for naturalistic landscapes.
Plant Details
Bloom Colour: Golden-yellow
Bloom Time: Late Summer
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Moisture: Dry to Mesic
Phenology: Emerges in late April to early May. Vegetative growth through summer. Flowering begins in August with distinctive golden plume-like panicles. Seeds mature in September-October. Excellent fall color begins in September, progressing from golden-yellow to orange. Remains standing through winter.
Wildlife Value: High wildlife value: seeds important for songbirds and game birds, nesting cover for grassland birds, larval host for several butterfly species
Habit Over Time: Young plants form small tufts that slowly expand into graceful clumps 18-24 inches wide. Maintains upright form through winter with persistent seed heads. Less spreading than big bluestem but forms impressive specimens over time.
Height: Tall (3-7 feet)