Lindheimer's muhly

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light shade but grows less upright and flowers less freely.

Water

Water regularly during the first growing season. Once established, water deeply during prolonged drought; avoid persistently wet soil.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil; tolerates limestone and alkaline conditions. Heavy clay is suitable only where drainage is good.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m), including flower stems

Spread

2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m)

Flowers

Late summer to autumn; narrow, airy flower spikes open grey-purple and mature to silvery tan.

Foliage

Fine, arching to upright blue-green leaves form a dense fountain-shaped clump. Evergreen in mild climates, partly or fully dormant after hard frost.

Growth

Moderate; a warm-season grass that starts active growth relatively late in spring.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.3 ft (0.69 m)

3. After 2 years

   3 ft (1 m)

4. After 3 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant in spring after severe frost has passed, especially near the colder end of its range.
• Water deeply through the first growing season, allowing the surface soil to dry between waterings.
• Avoid routine feeding; rich soil and excess nitrogen can produce floppy growth.
• Keep mulch clear of the crown, particularly where winters are wet.
• Divide in spring only when the clump becomes crowded or develops a dead centre.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, before new growth begins, remove dead flower stems and comb out loose, dead leaves. If frost has browned the whole clump, cut it back to 6-8 in (15-20 cm), taking care not to cut emerging shoots.

Late winter

Leave standing stems for winter structure, then remove them before fresh growth starts.

Spring

Plant or divide once the soil begins to warm; allow space for the mature clump.

Late spring

Check for new basal growth before deciding that a slow-starting clump has died.

Summer

Water new plants deeply during dry spells; established clumps usually need little supplemental water.

Autumn

Leave the silvery flower heads standing for their colour and movement.

Winter

Check that water drains away from the crown and remove any wet mulch piled against it.

• Repeat clumps through a sunny border with salvias and coneflowers for an upright framework.
• Use as a specimen in gravel planting, where its blue-green leaves contrast with stone.
• Plant in loose groups beside paths or patios, leaving room for the arching leaves.
• Combine with yuccas and other drought-tolerant plants for contrasting fine and bold foliage.

Garden styles it suits: Architectural minimal, New perennial (prairie), Dry gravel garden, Desert / xeriscape, Texas Hill Country and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Autumn sage, Purple coneflower, Butterfly weed, Red yucca, Little bluestem and Lanceleaf coreopsis.

Wildlife: Dense clumps provide shelter for insects and small animals, and seed heads may feed small birds. The flowers are wind-pollinated rather than a nectar source for bees and butterflies.

• Crown or root rot in waterlogged soil: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised, freely draining position.
• Floppy growth in shade or overly rich soil: move to full sun and stop nitrogen feeding.
• Winter damage in cold, wet sites: choose a sheltered, well-drained position and wait for warm weather before removing apparently dead plants.
• Dead centre in an old clump: lift and divide in spring, retaining healthy outer sections.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No poisonous parts are recognised, though coarse leaves can cause minor scratches and the plant is not intended as food.

• Pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)

  Usually smaller, with a broad cloud of pink flowers rather than Lindheimer's muhly's taller, narrower grey-purple to silvery flower spikes.

• Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens)

  Has predominantly green foliage and long, slender tan flower spikes; Lindheimer's muhly usually has more distinctly blue-green leaves and airier flower heads.

• Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

  Produces distinctive finger-like seed-head branches resembling a bird's foot, rather than the fine, narrow flower plumes of Lindheimer's muhly.

Muhlenbergia honours the botanist Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg, while lindheimeri honours Ferdinand Lindheimer, a botanist closely associated with the flora of Texas.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring as growth begins, replanting healthy sections promptly. Sow seed in spring in a warm, bright position, covering it only lightly and keeping it moist until germination.

Accepted botanical name

Muhlenbergia lindheimeri

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Mexico Northeast and Texas.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.