Practical
Plants

Sorghum bicolor

Sorghum

an annual member of the Sorghum genus in the family Gramineae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Gramineae
Genus
Sorghum
Life cycle
annual
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
5 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The immature plant is poisonous, especially if slightly wilted, since it can contain the toxins hydrogen cyanide and the alkaloid hordenine[13][3][12]. These substances are destroyed if the plant is dried or made into silage[12]. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - raw or cooked. It is used as a whole grain in similar ways to rice or can be ground into a flour and made into bread etc[9][13][16][5][8]. The ground seed yields a particularly white flour[18]. Sorghum is a staple food in some regions, where it is often fermented (lactic acid fermentation) before being eaten[8]. The sprouted seed can be eaten raw, and is sometimes added to salads[8]. Sap - raw or cooked. Very sweet, it is made into a syrup[1][9][14][16][11]. Stems - cooked[2]. Some caution is advised here, there are some reports that the leaves can contain the poison cyanide[13].

Plant part
Seed
Plant part
Stem
Product or use
Sweetener

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The decoction of the seed is demulcent and diuretic[13]. It is used in the treatment of kidney and urinary complaints[13]. The inflorescence is astringent and haemostatic[18].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Demulcent
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Haemostatic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The flowering panicles are used as brushes brooms and whisks etc[1][9][13][14][16]. Stems are used for weaving fences, mats, wattle houses etc[7]. The plant is an excellent source of biomass[12].

Product or use
Broom
Product or use
Weaving
Product or use
Biomass

Environment

Range
Original habitat is obscure.
Habitat
Not known in the wild.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow April in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks if given a minimum germination temperature of 23°c[4]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and plant them out after the last expected frosts. Consider giving them some protection, such as a cloche, until they are growing away strongly.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A fairly easily grown plant, though it is on the edges of its climatic zone in Britain. It requires a warm, sheltered and sunny position[4], preferring a slightly to moderately acid soil[4][12], though some cultivars have succeeded with a pH as high as 8[12]. Plants are adapted to a wide range of soils varying from light loams to heavy clays, they thrive best on light, easily worked soils of high fertility, with moderate to high availablility of water[12]. Moderately well-drained soils are suitable for sorghums[12]. Small amounts of alkali in sand reduces performance considerably[12]. Plants are moderatley tolerant of saline soils[12]. Established plants are very drought resistant, they succeed in arid soils[6]. A nitrogen rich soil causes the plants to lodge[4]. Plants are reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 20 to 410cm, an annual temperature in the range of 7.8 to 27.8°C and a pH of 4.3 to 8.7[12]. Sorghum is widely cultivated in tropical and warm temperate zones for its edible seed, as well as for its panicles (which are used as brooms) and the syrup obtained from its sap. Yields of around 6 tonnes per hectare have been achieved, though yields as low as 200 kilos have been reported - yields below 2 tonnes are not considered financially viable[12].There are many named varieties[13][15][17][8]. Some cultivars are short-day plants and are unlikely to produce flowers and seed away from the tropical zone[12]. Plants are adapted to tropical and subtropical summer rainfall climates with rainfall from 25 - 125 cm annually, they are of little importance in more humid areas with higher rainfall[12]. It is grown in Britain as a tender bedding plant but requires a long hot summer if it is to ripen its seed here[10]. In warmer climates it takes 3 months from sowing to seed harvest[4].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Brouk. B. Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-12-136450-x

    ↩

  4. Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987.

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  5. Grounds. R. Ornamental Grasses. Christopher Helm 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-1219-9

    ↩

  6. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  7. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  11. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  12. Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13

  13. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  14. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  15. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  16. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩1↩2↩3

  17. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  18. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2

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