Johnson Grass
Scientific Name Sorghum halepense
Family Poaceae
Height: 2-7 Feet
Inflorescence appearance: Open, oval to oblong in outline, 6 to 20 inches long
Flowering Period: July through October
Blade Description: Flat, 8-36 inches long, .5-2.5 inches wide.
Ligules: Membranous, conspicuously fringed.
Known Uses: Kiowa children used the stems and leaves to make whistles.
Interesting Fact: It is native to the Mediterranean and was introduced to Kansas around 1830.
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
Scientific Name Sorghum halepense
Family Poaceae
Height: 2-7 Feet
Inflorescence appearance: Open, oval to oblong in outline, 6 to 20 inches long
Flowering Period: July through October
Blade Description: Flat, 8-36 inches long, .5-2.5 inches wide.
Ligules: Membranous, conspicuously fringed.
Known Uses: Kiowa children used the stems and leaves to make whistles.
Interesting Fact: It is native to the Mediterranean and was introduced to Kansas around 1830.
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
Buffalo Grass
Scientific Name Buchloe dactyloides
Family Poaceae
Height: 2-8 Inches
Inflorescence appearance: Flag-like- 2-5 branches, branches1/4 to 1/2 inches long.
Flowering Period: May and June
Blade Description: Flat, 1 to 5 inches long, sparsely hairy.
Ligules: Membranous, fringed with hairs.
Known Uses: Buffalo Grass is good for grazing cattle, except when dormant.
Interesting Fact: Buffalo Grass' foliage turns reddish-brown after frost.
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
Scientific Name Buchloe dactyloides
Family Poaceae
Height: 2-8 Inches
Inflorescence appearance: Flag-like- 2-5 branches, branches1/4 to 1/2 inches long.
Flowering Period: May and June
Blade Description: Flat, 1 to 5 inches long, sparsely hairy.
Ligules: Membranous, fringed with hairs.
Known Uses: Buffalo Grass is good for grazing cattle, except when dormant.
Interesting Fact: Buffalo Grass' foliage turns reddish-brown after frost.
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
Kentucky Bluegrass
Scientific Name Poa pratensis
Family Poaceae
Height: 4-40 Inches
Inflorescence appearance: branches long, wavy, ascending or spreading, lowermost branches in whorls of 3-5
Flowering Period: May through July
Blade Description: Narrow, folded or flat, 2-10 inches long, 1/4 inch wide, with boat-shaped tips
Ligules: Membranous
Known Uses: It is used widely as grass for manicured lawns. It also provides good early-season grazing.
Interesting Fact: Its pollen causes late spring allergies
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
Scientific Name Poa pratensis
Family Poaceae
Height: 4-40 Inches
Inflorescence appearance: branches long, wavy, ascending or spreading, lowermost branches in whorls of 3-5
Flowering Period: May through July
Blade Description: Narrow, folded or flat, 2-10 inches long, 1/4 inch wide, with boat-shaped tips
Ligules: Membranous
Known Uses: It is used widely as grass for manicured lawns. It also provides good early-season grazing.
Interesting Fact: Its pollen causes late spring allergies
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
Stink Grass
Scientific Name Eragrostis cilianensis
Family Poaceae
Height: 4-20 inches
Inflorescence appearance: Dense, .5-3.5 inches wide, 2-6 inches long, gray-green or tan, spikelets extend nearly to the base of a branch.
Flowering Period: July through September
Blade Description: Flat or slightly inward rolled, 2-10 inches long, less than 0.25 inches wide, light green to grayish green, wart-like glands on margins and often midribs.
Ligules: fringes of short hairs
Known Uses: Few or no uses. Thought to be poisonous to livestock in large quantities, cattle avoid it.
Interesting Fact: It is native to Europe.
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
Scientific Name Eragrostis cilianensis
Family Poaceae
Height: 4-20 inches
Inflorescence appearance: Dense, .5-3.5 inches wide, 2-6 inches long, gray-green or tan, spikelets extend nearly to the base of a branch.
Flowering Period: July through September
Blade Description: Flat or slightly inward rolled, 2-10 inches long, less than 0.25 inches wide, light green to grayish green, wart-like glands on margins and often midribs.
Ligules: fringes of short hairs
Known Uses: Few or no uses. Thought to be poisonous to livestock in large quantities, cattle avoid it.
Interesting Fact: It is native to Europe.
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
Sixweeks Fescue
Scientific Name Vulpia octoflora
Family Poaceae
Height: 2-16 inches
Inflorescence appearance: dense, 1/2 to 4 inches long, short branches, dense.
Flowering Period: April through June
Blade Description: Rarely flat, rolled inwards, 1-4 inches long and 1/12 inches wide,
Ligules: Short, membranous; tip truncate, erose or ciliate; auricles absent.
Known Uses: Few or no uses. Birds eat its seeds.
Interesting Fact: It is also called "Pullout Grass" because cattle tend to uproot it while grazing.
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
Scientific Name Vulpia octoflora
Family Poaceae
Height: 2-16 inches
Inflorescence appearance: dense, 1/2 to 4 inches long, short branches, dense.
Flowering Period: April through June
Blade Description: Rarely flat, rolled inwards, 1-4 inches long and 1/12 inches wide,
Ligules: Short, membranous; tip truncate, erose or ciliate; auricles absent.
Known Uses: Few or no uses. Birds eat its seeds.
Interesting Fact: It is also called "Pullout Grass" because cattle tend to uproot it while grazing.
Location Found: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses