Sorghum bicolor

RHS Plant Profile

great millet

Other common names

common sorghum, East Indian millet, Egyptian rice corn, Guinea corn, imphee, kafir corn, sorghum

Synonyms

Sorghum vulgare
Milium nigricans
Andropogon sorghum

Annual Biennial

An upright plant with green strappy leaves. Flower spikes are covered in small, yellowish-green flowers, followed by pale, sometimes rusty coloured seeds. Seeds can ripen in the UK if given a long hot summer. Can be grown in the UK as a tender bedding plant. Cultivars of this plant are widely grown in warmer climates as a grain crop for human and animal feed

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1 year
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Genus: A large annual or sometimes perennial grass, native to Africa, with bushy brown-red flowerheads of edible, starchy grains. These are cultivated for human and animal feed as well as the production of ethanol
Name Status: Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grows quickly in moist but well-drained soil, although it is tolerant of dry conditions. Requires a warm, sheltered position in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Bedding
Flower borders and beds
Cut flowers

Pruning

Cut down in autumn or spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free