Pink Muhly

Pink Muhly, Gulf Muhly, Hairgrass

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Poaceae - The Grass Family

▲ young plant, just starting to flower

Muhlenbergia capillaris: Pink Muhlygrass, Gulf Muhlygrass, Hairgrass

Location near campus: in ornamental grass bed toward southwest corner of Master Gardener areas north of Botanical Center Building in Nathanael Greene park at the Botanical Center; also along the west side of the Xeriscape Garden at the corner of Linwood & National in Springfield.

• warm-season, bunch-type perennial grass with thin, wiry, medium to dark-green leaves 12-36" tall/long
• inflorescences is a large airy, pinkish panicle in late summer to early fall; inflorescence starts darker red before flower branches open fully, then appears as “pink smoke" above the foliage
• prefers full sun to part shade; is fairly soil-tolerant--wet or dry, low or high pH, poor to adequate fertility; is tolerant of salt, both sea spray and road salt/ice melter
• native to Missouri