Bamboo Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia dumosa
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 8a-11 (7 with protection?) Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Ornamental Grass
Height at Maturity: 4-6′
Width at Maturity: 4-5′
Spacing: 3.5-4′ apart for mass plantings; 9′ or more apart for space between plants
Spacing: 3.5-4′ apart for mass plantings; 9′ or more apart for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form: Upright Arching Clump
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast upright, spreads slowly and is easily controlled
Flower Color: Soft Pinkish Green
Flower Type: Cloud-like Plumes
Flowering Period: Fall into Winter
Foliage Color: Bright Green
Fragrant Foliage: No
Sun Needs: Full Sun to Light Shade
Water Needs: Average, low when established but will appreciate an occasional drink during drought for best lushness
Soil Type: Clay (amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sandy, Silt, prefers sandy soils
Soil Drainage: Moist But Well Drained; Drought tolerant when established
Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.0
Attracts: Visual Attention, Birds
Maintenance / Care: Very Low
Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Drought (when established), Heat, Humidity, Insect, Salt
Description
One of our favorite of all ornamental grasses…or is it a bamboo? Well, technically speaking, Bamboo are considered ornamental grasses, but the Bamboo Muhly is not a bamboo. Though the airy stems do resemble a dainty bamboo, it’s a Muhly Grass, scientifically known as Muhlenbergia dumosa. The soft-textured, bright green foliage of Bamboo Muhly Grass sways in the gentlest of breezes, providing drama in the landscape. Through fall and into winter masses of small flowers give the plant a soft pinkish green cast. At 4 to 6 feet tall and spreading slowly up to 5 feet wide, Bamboo Muhly is a fine accent in smaller garden spaces, or in groupings or as a billowing natural hedge in larger landscape borders. It is hardy year-round outdoors in USDA Zones 8a to 11, but also very nice in containers that can grace patios, decks and other outdoor living spaces during the warm season, and be brought indoors during winter in zones north of 8. It prefers as much sun as you can give it and is highly drought tolerant when established.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing in a clump up to 6 feet tall and spreading to 5 feet wide, Bamboo Muhly Grass is ideal for use as an specimen or accent in smaller garden spaces and home foundation plantings or in small to large groupings or as a billowy hedge in larger landscape borders. Also nice as a solo or combined with other plants in container gardens. A fine addition to Asian gardens, Zen gardens, rock gardens, ornamental grass gardens and the Xeriscape (low water need). A lovely display for any sunny to partially shaded spot!
Suggested Spacing: 4 feet apart for mass plantings; 9 feet or more apart for space between plants
Growing Preferences
Bamboo Muhly Grass is easy to grow and maintain. Make sure to plant it in a site with well-drained soil. Add sand and or small gravel to the planting mix if necessary to ensure good drainage. Will appreciate moisture and a little organic plant food during the first growing season to establish itself, but after that is drought tolerant and requires no fertilizer. Full sun is preferred for best flowering, however the plant will appreciate some filtered sun during the afternoon hours in very hot climates where temperatures go well over 100F. We suggest at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. If foliage browns during a harsher-than-normal winter, foliage can be cut back to the ground in late winter before new growth begins to emerge in spring.
Helpful Articles
Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, fertilize, prune and water Muhly Grass.
How To Plant & Care For Muhly Grass
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