Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Sorghum halepense
FAMILY
Poaceae
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Johnsongrass from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Sorghum halepense
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-88-001:
Sorghum halepense
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Sorghum halepense
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Holcus halepensis
COMMON NAME:
Johnsongrass
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_hoha_001_lvd
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950 pnd_soha_001_lvd
)
JK Marlow jkm0307k_33
July Greenville County SC
Roadside
One of our most pernicious weeds, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
)
JK Marlow jkm0407y_33
July Greenville County SC
Roadside
A serious weed, difficult to eradicate, per Weakley's Flora.
)
JK Marlow jkm080705_048
July Swain County NC
)
JK Marlow jkm080705_055
July Swain County NC
)
JK Marlow jkm080705_062
July Swain County NC
)
JK Marlow jkm080705_066
July Swain County NC
)
JK Marlow jkm140730_217
July Greenville County SC
Cleveland Park
It's easy not to notice the feathery stigmas of wind-pollinated grass flowers.
)
JK Marlow jkm140730_219
July Greenville County SC
Cleveland Park
)
JK Marlow jkm0308m_10
August Greenville County SC
Leaves to 24" long, 0.4-0.8" wide, developing a prominent white midvein, per Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians.
)
JK Marlow s030815_ab
August Greenville County SC
)
Gill Newberry gn09_sorgham_halepense
September
)
Gill Newberry gn09_sorgum_halepense_inf
September
Open spreading panicle 15-50cm long, w numerous whorled projecting branches, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses.
)
JK Marlow jkm0309e_10a
September Greenville County SC
Roadside
Its panicle has a reddish color a little different from any other grass, per All About Weeds.
)
JK Marlow jkm0110k_09a
October Greenville County SC
Roadside
)
JK Marlow s071027_b
October Abbeville County SC
Field
Spikelets paired: one silky and sessile, one stalked and smooth, both w awns, per Wildflowers of Tennessee.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Sorghum halepense
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Sorghum halepense
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-88-001:
Sorghum halepense
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Sorghum halepense
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Holcus halepensis
1445
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Non-native: Eurasia
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Common
Look for it on roadsides, in fields, waste places, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- NC Department of Transportation
- SC Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2014
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
- US Forest Service Southern Research Station
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2014
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate, 2-ranked
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer/Fall
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Grain
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- All About Weeds p024
- Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses p258
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control p377
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests p088
- Manual of the Grasses of the United States p773
- Invasive Exotic Plants of North Carolina p080
- Wildflowers of Tennessee p349
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians p402
- Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses p060