Shattercane
June 15, 2015
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench Poaceae (Grass family)
Life cycle
Erect summer annual.
Leaves
Leaves are rolled in the bud, sparsely hairy at the base. Leaf sheaths are hairless but can be sparsely hairy at maturity. Leaves are 1 to 4 inches wide at maturity with a prominent, white midrib.
Shattercane plant showing white midrib.
Ligule
Membranous with a fringe of hairs.
Stems
Erect, robust stems grow up to 8 feet tall, resembling corn.
Shattercane in corn.
Flowers and fruit
The seedhead is a large, open panicle. Spikelets are paired as fertile (long) and sterile (short) florets. Reddish black, rounded, flattened seeds are ellipsoid to ovoid and shiny, they often shatter before crop harvest.
Shattercane seedhead.
Reproduction
Seeds.
Print a PDF of this page: Shattercane
Other Documents in this Series
You Might Also Be Interested In
-
MSU to study precision livestock farming adoption trends in U.S. swine industry
Published on March 15, 2021
-
MSU animal science professor exploring environmental benefits of regenerative agriculture
Published on February 15, 2021
-
MSU students partner with Michigan communities to improve trail access
Published on May 30, 2025
-
Reciprocal Research: A Guidebook to Centering Community in Partnerships with Indigenous Nations
Published on April 22, 2021
-
MSU Product Center helps Michigan food entrepreneurs survive and thrive throughout pandemic
Published on August 31, 2021
Accessibility Questions:
For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.