Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Also listed as Agrostis setosa, Muhlenbergia polypogon
Also known as Hairawn Muhly Grass, Hairawn Muhly, Hairy-awn Muhly
Climate Match for your location
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A drought-tolerant ornamental grass prized for its showy pink to rose-colored flower plumes that appear in fall and persist through winter. It forms an attractive clumping mound of fine-textured foliage that turns copper-bronze in cold weather.
Why grow it
Pink Muhly grass offers extended seasonal interest compared to many ornamental grasses, with flowering plumes persisting from fall through winter in most climates. Its fine texture and relatively compact, upright growth habit make it suitable for smaller landscape spaces than coarser clumping grasses. In appropriate climates (USDA zones 6-11), it requires minimal supplemental water once established and needs no fertilizer, fitting well into low-input permaculture systems.
Watch out for
Plants may require 2-3 years to reach full size and flowering maturity, so patience is needed when establishing new plantings. In colder regions near the northern edge of its range, winter dieback may be more severe than in warmer zones, and spring cleanup should wait until new growth appears to avoid frost damage to emerging shoots.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Poaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
south-central and southeastern United States
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A drought-tolerant ornamental grass prized for its showy pink to rose-colored flower plumes that appear in fall and persist through winter. It forms an attractive clumping mound of fine-textured foliage that turns copper-bronze in cold weather.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Pink Muhly Grass grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Pink Muhly grass offers extended seasonal interest compared to many ornamental grasses, with flowering plumes persisting from fall through winter in most climates. Its fine texture and relatively compact, upright growth habit make it suitable for smaller landscape spaces than coarser clumping grasses. In appropriate climates (USDA zones 6-11), it requires minimal supplemental water once established and needs no fertilizer, fitting well into low-input permaculture systems.
Watch out for
Plants may require 2-3 years to reach full size and flowering maturity, so patience is needed when establishing new plantings. In colder regions near the northern edge of its range, winter dieback may be more severe than in warmer zones, and spring cleanup should wait until new growth appears to avoid frost damage to emerging shoots.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Poaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
south-central and southeastern United States
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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