I have this plant growing in my backyard near Houston, TX (UDSA Zone 9a). I been letting it grow because I have no idea what it is. It starting to look like just another weed. Can anyone identify this please?
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With identification questions, it's useful to describe where in the world you found the plant, and the conditions where you found it (sun, shade, rocky hillside, forested riverbank, and so on). If you have more information about the plant, please update your question to add it. Thanks.– Niall C. ♦Jun 27, 2014 at 17:27
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@NiallC. thanks for the feedback. I am currently located in the Houston, Texas area near Lake Houston( few miles away). Not a very features rich area, just a suburban neighborhood built in 2009. The soil here is very sandy.– Antarr ByrdJun 27, 2014 at 17:30
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@NiallC. USDA Zone 9a– Antarr ByrdJun 27, 2014 at 17:34
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2 Answers
It looks like grain sorghum to me, and probably arrived in your yard via the birds, as it is a popular component of commercially packaged bird feed. The fact that it's near a fence would tend to give support to this theory!
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I have a bird feeder in the front so I'm pretty sure you are correct. Thanks Jun 27, 2014 at 17:38
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1Yup, that's probably the culprit there. You might consider letting it grow a bit more and set seed, but cut it before the seed drops and hang the seed heads near your bird feeder as a treat for your feathered friends. Jun 27, 2014 at 17:40
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Thanks for the advice. Now I just have learn a little more like determining when it has "set seed". This would also explain all the birds on the fence this morning. Jun 27, 2014 at 17:42
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It will have little round things on that top tassle part. When they are "green" they will be soft enough to be dented with your fingernail - once they begin to turn a tannish color and get a hard shell, they are pretty much done. (Look in your bird seed for little round brown-tan seeds to see what it will likely look like when mature...) You can cut them before they are completely hard and the birds probably won't care one bit. That will also keep you from accidentally letting it go too long and having new seeds drop into that area. Jun 27, 2014 at 20:32
It could also be millet, another common grain found in bird seed. Both Sorgum and Millet are used to feed animals in the United States. In some parts of the world they are eaten by humans.
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Good point. Millet, however, has a much slimmer, tighter seed head, not the brushy seed head pictured. But you are right, the plants are very similar. Jun 27, 2014 at 23:00