Taiji
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Location: Gardening in western U.P. of MI. 46+ N. lat. elev 1540. zone 3; state bird: mosquito

Do you think this is sorghum?

Found this and some others growing wild upon returning to AZ this fall. I'm thinking it's sorghum from bird seed. In some years out here, when we have an unusually good amount of summer rains I have found this growing on its own in washes, or other places where some water may collect.

First time I saw it I thought it was corn, but later when it "tasseled" I could see it wasn't. Was thinking if it is sorghum it might be an advantage to use as a cover crop for summer, since it has to be extremely drought tolerant, and nothing wants to eat the plants, not even the javelina!
sorg.JPG
sorgh.JPG

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

It could be, the leaves look like sorghum. Usually, I get more millet than sorghum growing from birdseed.

PaulF
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My first thought being a mid-westerner is milo. After looking it up it is called grain sorghum. Milo or grain sorghum is used in bird seed so I think that is what you have.

Milo (Sorghum bicolor) is called grain sorghum because there are other types (cultivars) of sorghum that are the same species. Forage sorghum can grow over 10 feet tall and is chopped and used as cattle feed. It is selected and bred for its ability to grow a lot of stalks and foliage versus grain. Sweet sorghum is grown in tropical areas to be made into mollasses and rum.

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!potatoes!
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Location: wnc - zones 6/7 line

yeah, looks like milo.

also, just wanted to add: sweet/molasses sorghum is a traditional crop in western nc where I live, and other places that the 'normal' sugar crops (sugar cane and beets) don't do that well. in the tropics, sugar cane is much more likely to be grown than sorghum.

Taiji
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Location: Gardening in western U.P. of MI. 46+ N. lat. elev 1540. zone 3; state bird: mosquito

Thanks for the info. There didn't seem to be any seeds up in the flower part. Thought I could save a few and plant.



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