Johnson Grass

Sorghum halepense

Johnson grass was introduced for forage and since has spread into open habitats throughout the United States. Its seeds can disperse through wind, water, animals, and contaminated grains and seeds. It can also regenerate from rhizome fragments. It spreads through its rhizomes so that it forms dense monotypic stands of grass. 

Johnson grass grows to 8’. Stems are reddish near the base. Leaves are long (2’), smooth, and arranged alternately along the stem. The midrib of the leaf is white.  The purple flower plumes bloom in the summer. 

Fact Sheet: Johnson Grass

Photo credit: Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

Photo Credit:  North Carolina State University