Expert guide

Pink Muhly Grass

Muehlenbergia capillaris

A clump forming hardy perennial grass reaching up to 5 x 6 ( rarely over 4 ) feet.
Native to southeastern North America, it is endangered in the wild in Connecticutt, New Jersey and Maryland, and is extinct in the wild in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The fine textured foliage is wire-like and blue-green to deep green.
The foliage clump is topped from mid August through October by pink cloud-like inflorescences up to 10 x 8 inches in size.. The flower inflorescences are exceptionally beautiful when backlit by the sun. Occasional deep irrigation during late summer will enhance autumn blooming.
Hardy zones 6 to 9 in full sun on very well draineds soil. It is not eaten by deer. Extremely drought, heat, salt and poor soil tolerant. Mostly found on sandy and rocky soils in the wild and does not need much fertilizer. Pests and disease problems are very rare.
Great for urban garden and against white stucco walls.
Also a great plant for drought plagued parking lot islands.
Cut plants to ground during late winter to make room for fresh new growth.


* photo taken on October 17 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.




Regal Mist
Reaches up to 4 x 4 feet ( foliage up to 3 x 3 feet ), with spectacular dusky-pink, hazy flower panicles.
Hardy zones 6 to 10 in full sun on very well drained soil. It is extremely heat, drought as well as humidity tolerant, making it a great landscape plant for both the desert southwest and the southeastern U.S.

White Cloud
Reaches up to 4.5 feet, with deep green foliage and creamy-white, massed, cloud-like plumes throughout autumn. It is among the most beautiful of all ornamental grasses.
Tolerates as low as -5 F.

Muehlenbergia emersleyi El Toro ( Bullgrass ) A very attractive, clumping grass, reaching up to 3 x 3 feet. It forms a denser clump than Muhlenbergia rigens. The species is native to hilly oak woodlands from Arizona to Texas. The coarse foliage is blue-green. The leaves are wider than that of Muhlenbergia rigens. The showy flower spikes are fluffy and rose-purple, eventually fading to tan. Hardy zones 6 to 9 ( the species only hardy to zone 7 ) in full sun to partial shade on well drained soil. It is clay tolerant and very drought / heat tolerant. Soak weekly during summer during the first season, biweekly the following summer to establish new plants. Established plants can be soaked every 3 weeks. Deer resistant. Cut clumps back hard during early spring every other year to eliminate thatch.

Muehlenbergia lindheimeri ( Lindheimer Muhly Grass )
A perennial grass, reaching a maximum size of 4 x 4 ( rarely over 2.5 ) feet, that is native to the Edwards Plateau of Texas as well as northern Mexico.
The fountain-like foliage is blue-green. The foliage is deciduous and clumps are cut back hard during early spring.
The purplish, turning to silvery fountain-like plumes, up to 5 feet high, are borne during autumn.
Hardy zones 7 to 9 in full sun. Very heat, drought, clay, salt, mediterranean climate and deer tolerant.

Muehlenbergia Pink Flamingo
A narrow, upright, vigorous hybrid, reaching up to 5 x 4 feet. It is a hybrid between Muehlenbergia rigens and the Gulf Coast Muhly Grass.
The very narrow foliage is blue-green.
The soft pink flower spikes are borne during early autumn.
Hardy zones 6 to 10 in full sun on very well drained soil. It is extremely heat, drought as well as humidity tolerant, making it a great landscape plant for both the desert southwest and the southeastern U.S.
Great for the confined urban garden and against white stucco walls.
Also a great plant for drought plagued parking lot islands.
Deer resistant.

Muehlenbergia reverchonii ( Autumn Embers Muhly Grass )
A perennial grass, reaching up to 3 x 2 feet, that is native from southwest Oklahoma to northern Texas.
The finely-textured foliage is mid-green.
The flowers appear in a very attractive pinkish-red, haze during autumn.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun on very well drained soil including clay. It is extremely heat and drought tolerant, making it great for the inner city as well as suburban strip mall landscaping. Considering its native range, it is very tolerant of the heat + humidity combination found in the southeast. It is highly deer resistant.

Muehlenbergia rigens ( Deer Grass )
A very attractive ornamental grass, reaching up to 5 x 7 ( rarely over 4 ) feet, forms a dense, evergreen clump of gray-green foliage turning to buff-tan during winter. It is native from California to Texas; south into northern Mexico.
Hardy zones 6 to 9 in full sun to partial shade on rich, well drained soil. Extremely adaptable and very drought tolerant. It is not prone to pests or disease.