| johnsongrass |
USDA PLANTS Symbol: SOHA USDA ARS GRIN: 35119 ITIS: 42111 NAPIS: PCACWBC |
| Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. | |
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Taxonomic Rank: Liliopsida: Cyperales: Poaceae |
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Johnsongrass is a tall (up to 8 ft. [2.4 m]), rhizomatous, perennial grass that invades open areas throughout the United States. The 2 ft. (0.6 m) long, lanceolate leaves are arranged alternately along a stout, hairless, somewhat upward branching stem and have distinct, white midribs. Flowers occur in a loose, spreading, purplish panicle. Johnsongrass is adapted to a wide variety of habitats including open forests, old fields, ditches and wetlands. It spreads aggressively and can form dense colonies which displace native vegetation and restrict tree seedling establishment. Johnsongrass has naturalized throughout the world, but it is thought to be native to the Mediterranean region. It was first introduced into the United States in the early 1800s as a forage crop. |
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Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
- Weed of the Week - USDA Forest Service
- Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules of the U.S. - USDA-APHIS
- Fire Effects Information System - USDA Forest Service
- Element Stewardship Abstract - The Nature Conservancy
- Invasive Plants of the Eastern U.S. - University of Georgia
| Selected Images from Invasive.org | View All Images at Invasive.org |
 Seedling(s); Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Root(s); Richard Old, XID Services, Inc., Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Roots Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Rhizomes Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Roots Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Stem Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Leaf collar region Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Ligule Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Ligule Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); July. Photo from Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses by J.H. Miller and K.V. Miller, published by The University of Georgia Press in cooperation with the Southern Weed Science Society. James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Barry Fitzgerald, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Fruit(s); Ventral view of spikelets with pedicel and rachis segment Julia Scher, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Fruit(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Jil M. Swearingen, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Invasive plants complicate roadise begetation management programs, create safety hazards by obscuring visibility and increasing the intensity of roadsidefires, and provide seed sources for infestation of adjacent fields. Bonnie Harper-Lore, Federal Highway Administration, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Large infestation in September David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Diagram or Graphic; Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 1: 121. USDA PLANTS Database, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Diagram or Graphic; Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Misc. Publ. No. 200. Washington, DC. USDA PLANTS Database, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
Taxonomic References:
- USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
Invasive Listing Sources:
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 1994.
- Delaware Natural Resources and Environmental Control, 2004
- Faith Campbell, 1998. Plants that Hog the Garden: Invasive Plants in the United States. Fine Gardening Online
- Hoffman, R. & K. Kearns, Eds. 1997. Wisconsin manual of control recommendations for ecologically invasive plants. Wisconsin Dept. Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources. Madison, Wisconsin. 102pp.
- Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
- John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 1994
- Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2005
- Missouri Department of Conservation,
- New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, 2004
- Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
- North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 1998
- Pacific Northwest Exotic Pest Plant Council, 1998
- University of Hawaii, Botany Department, Hawaiian Alien Plant Studies, 1998
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 1999.
- WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council
- Arkansas Noxious Weeds Noxious
- California Noxious Weeds
- Colorado Noxious Weeds
- Delaware Noxious Weeds
- Treasure Coast Cooperative Invasive Species Mgmt. Area - EARLY DRAFT
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council Category 3
- Idaho Noxious Weeds
- Illinois Noxious Weeds
- Indiana Noxious Weeds
- Kansas Noxious Weeds
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council Severe Threat
- Kentucky Noxious Weeds
- Maryland Noxious Weeds
- Michigan Noxious Weeds
- Missouri Noxious Weeds
- Nevada Noxious Weeds
- Ohio Noxious Weeds
- Oregon Noxious Weeds
- Pennsylvania Noxious Weeds
- South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council Severe Threat
- South Dakota Noxious Weeds
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council Severe Threat
- Utah Noxious Weeds
- Washington Noxious Weeds
- West Virginia Noxious Weeds
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