Sorghum bicolor Seeds | Sorghum
LATIN NAME: Sorghum bicolor
COMMON NAME: Sorghum
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is a tall, robust grass in the grass family. Sorghum torches tall, robust grass with broad, arching, green leaves and stout stems crowned by dense, upright heads of small, round grains that ripen through rich reds, bronzes and creams through late summer, heads torching above the field. It likes sun, and rich, well-drained soil. The flowering period doubles as a feeding season for bees and other pollinators. Taken as a whole, it is a plant that repays a little attention many times over.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the grass family, Sorghum bicolor draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Drought tolerance of sorghum gives it a long place in research on staple cereal crops of grass family, and bicolor species appears in studies of drought physiology and grain-head development. Because it has been grown for so long, its garden habits are thoroughly documented.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Sorghum earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Grain serves flours, porridges and drinks for generations, stems serve brooms and thatch, and plant feeds birds and makes the screen. It grows well in rich, well-drained, sunny ground. Sow seeds into deep drills of warm open bed, then cover them well, keep rows gently moist, and seedlings spring up within a week or two. A plant that has settled in will get along with only routine care.
Sorghum is a gluten-free, drought-proof grain rich in polyphenols, feeding half a billion people and yielding syrup, forage and biofuel.
Growing from Seed
Seed is the natural starting point for Sorghum, and the process is uncomplicated. Surface-sow onto a light, well-drained compost, dust over a thin covering, and keep evenly moist and sunny until the seedlings show. Grow the youngsters on steadily in pots until well rooted, then move them to their final positions.
Our Take
Sorghum is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Young plants want steady water; older plants take conditions as they come.
Related Reading
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