Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Grass/Grass-like
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Wet Mesic Mesic
Soil pH Preferences:	Strongly acid (5.1 – 5.5) Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0) Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5) Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 5a -28.9 °C (-20 °F) to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 11
Plant Height:	36 - 48 inches
Plant Spread:	36 - 48 inches
Leaves:	Evergreen Semi-evergreen
Fruit:	Edible to birds Other: 1/4 to 1/2 inch oval, dry brown seeds
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Pink Other: Pinkish-red
Bloom Size:	4"-5"
Flower Time:	Late summer or early fall Fall Late fall or early winter
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic
Uses:	Windbreak or Hedge Provides winter interest Erosion control Groundcover Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant:	Birds
Resistances:	Deer Resistant Pollution Humidity tolerant Drought tolerant Salt tolerant
Propagation: Other methods:	Division
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger Needs repotting every 2 to 3 years
Miscellaneous:	Tolerates poor soil

Common names

Pink Muhly Grass
Florida Muhly Grass
Pink Muhly
Texas Muhly Grass
Pink Hair Grass
Gulf Muhly
Hair Grass
Gulf Muhly Grass

Photo Gallery

Location: My garden in northeast Texas
Date: 2009 Fall

Uploaded by Avedon

Location: My garden in northeast Texas
Date: Summer 2010

Uploaded by Avedon

Location: Eagle, Pennsylvania
Date: 2019-10-23
blooming in a low maintenance office park landscape

Uploaded by ILPARW

Location: Eagle, Pennsylvania
Date: 2018-10-03
blooming at the edge of a parking lot of an office landscape

Uploaded by ILPARW

Location: Eagle, Pennsylvania
Date: 2018-10-03
close-up of bloom in an office park landscape

Uploaded by ILPARW

Location: Austin, Texas
Date: 2022-04-05

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas
Date: 2022-10-14
The pinkish color glows in the fall light

Uploaded by christinereid54

Location: Mckee Botanical Gardens, Vero Beach, Florida
Date: 2016-11-06

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: Wadsworth, Ohio
Date: 2020-10-27

Uploaded by Humbolt

Location: Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Overton, TX
Date: 2014-06-26

Uploaded by jon

Location: Riverbanks Botanical Garden - Columbia, SC
Date: 2016-10-21

Uploaded by Lalambchop1

Uploaded by Avedon

Location: unknown
courtesy Sunlight Gardens, www.sunlightgardens.com

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by Lalambchop1

Location: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Date: April 6 2022

Uploaded by jooshewa

Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Martin County Florida
Date: December

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: National Botanical Garden (DC) | November 2022
Date: 2022-11-26

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Gyeongju, South Korea
Date: 2024-10-08

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Location: Surprise , Az
Date: 2022-11-17
Flower/seed

Uploaded by Mdntnmtgmy

Uploaded by Mdntnmtgmy

Date: 2016-08-21
Photo courtesy of Santa Rosa Gardens. Used with permission.

Uploaded by Lalambchop1

Photo courtesy of Annie's Annuals and Perennials

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Hamwild

Location: Our Driveway, Hot Springs Village, AR
Date: 2007-10-19

Uploaded by rocklady

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: JC Raulston Arboretum, Raleigh, NC
Date: October, 2008

Uploaded by rcn48

Location: AZ
Date: 6-13-2016
This is how the grass looks off season before trimming.

Uploaded by cocoajuno

Location: At home in Aiken, SC
Date: 2016-10-30
I love the firecracker quality of the seed heads! Very pretty gr

Uploaded by SheilaC

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by Lalambchop1

Location: My garden in N E Pa.
Date: 2013-01-21

Uploaded by treehugger

Location: At a public garden
Date: 2009-11-04

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Location: My garden in N E Pa.
Date: 2014-10-01

Uploaded by treehugger

Location: western Oregon
Date: 2016-01-01

Uploaded by duane456

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by Avedon (NE Tex - Zone 8a) on Aug 22, 2012 2:35 PM concerning plant:

An excellent plant for us--it does some reseeding here, but we do not consider it invasive. Tough as nails, requires little water, and there are no pests or diseases.

Reply to this comment
Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Aug 17, 2023 4:11 PM concerning plant:

This lovely warm-season, clump grass is native to Massachusetts down into Florida to east Texas up to Kansas & Missouri, and also in Mexico and Guatemala. Its genus name was named after Gotthilf Muhlenberg who was a botanist living in the late 18th century and early 19th century who composed the botanical book of 'Index Flora Lancasteriensis' in 1785. (There are a number of plants with the species name called after him of 'muhlenbergii.') This grass has very thin blades, looking sort of hair-like, which is what 'capillaris' refers to. The pink cloud of grassy blooms is also fine-textured, giving it a wispy appearance. The seeds when mature are purplish, before turning brown when the bloom all goes brown in autumn. It is an easy perennial for well-drained soils and is great for low maintenance or naturalistic landscapes. It can be divided every 3 years or so if desired. It is also called Pink Hairgrass, Hair-Awn Muhly, and Pink Muhly.

Reply to this comment
Posted by flaflwrgrl (North Fl. - Zone 8b) on Sep 17, 2011 7:15 PM concerning plant:

Beware: At least where I grew it, in zone 10, it reseeded EVERYWHERE! When the seeds ripen, they blow in the breeze and can make a mess of themselves sticking in corners and along any rough surfaces and screens. Although this plant is beautiful and excellent for drought situations, I would never plant it again.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
MrsBinWY	On December 24, 2018	Seeds sown 9 groups of seeds from Lalambchop1's 2018G in milk jug; germinate in 2-4 weeks @ 60-68 degrees per Seedaholic; moved to patio 2-22-19
lovesblooms	On February 16, 2020	Seeds sown winter sown
AtaMaj	On April 27, 2020	Obtained plant planted 3 plants as border in the orchard
TomatoNut95	On March 2, 2025	Seeds sown

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Muhlenbergia Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)

Muhlenbergia
Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)