Oklahoma State Grass

Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans Adopted: January 24, 1972

Indiangrass was adopted as Oklahoma's state grass upon approval of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 72, introduced by Senator Ed Berrong of Weatherford.

THE STATE SENATE
Monday, January 24, 1972

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 2

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 72 - By Berrong

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING AND ADOPTING INDIANGRASS, SORGHASTRUM NUTANS, AS THE STATE GRASS OF OKLAHOMA.

WHEREAS, The State of Oklahoma not designated or adopted any State Grass; and

WHEREAS, Indiangrass has been in the past, and remains today, one of the most productive, palatable and important native grasses in Oklahoma; and

WHEREAS, Oklahoma means "Home-of-the-Redman" and has a greater population of Indians than any other state; and

WHEREAS, Indiangrass grows in every county in the state; and

WHEREAS, Indiangrass is one of the most beautiful native grasses.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE 2ND SESSION OF THE 33RD OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN:

SECTION 1. Indiangrass, Sorghastrum nutans, is hereby designated and adopted as the State Grass of the State of Oklahoma.

Sources...

"Official Sooner Grass Proposed." Oklahoman 06 Jan. 1972: 60. Print.
"State grass." Message to Cartwright Law Library . 05 Apr. 2011. E-mail.
Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols: A Historical Guide Third Edition, Revised and Expanded. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 3 Sub edition, 2001.

Oklahoma State grass: Indian grass
Photograph by William Johnson

Additional Information

Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash (Indiangrass): USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Prairie Grasses: Oklahoma Prairie Country website of Tallgrass Prairie Preserve docent.

State grasses: Complete list of official state grasses from NETSTATE.COM.

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official Oklahoma state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.

Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) Jumbo Seed Packet - 2000 Seeds, This native grass is noted for its upright form and blue-green foliage growing up to two feet high. The slender leaves turn orange-yellow in the Fall. Vertical stems rise well above the leaves in late summer, with feathery light brown seed heads that darken to bronze! It naturalizes through self-seeding, providing seed for birds and material for dried flower arrangements.

Manual of Grasses for North America, Edited by Mary E. Barkworth, Laurel K. Anderton, Kathleen M. Capels, Sandy Long, and Michael B. Piep. 640 pages. Publisher: Utah State University Press; 1 edition (September 30, 2007) Grasses are the world's most important plants. They are the dominant species over large parts of the earth's land surface, a fact that is reflected in the many different words that exist for grasslands, words such as prairie, veldt, palouse, and pampas to mention just a few. As a group, grasses are of major ecological importance, as soil binders and providers of shelter and food for wild animals, both large and small. Some grasses, such as wheat, rice, corn, barley, rye, tef, and sugar cane are major sources of calories for humans and their livestock; others, primarily bamboos, are used for construction, tools, paper, and fabric. More recently, the seed catalogs that tantalize gardeners each winter have borne witness to an increasing appreciation of the aesthetic value of grasses.