Muhly Grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris
AKA: Muhlenbergia capillaris var. capillaris, Podosemum capillare, Stipa capillaris, Trichochloa capillaris

Size: 1g & 3g availability

Grass
Max size: 5’ tall x 3.5’ wide
Average size: 3′ tall x 3′ wide

Moist to Dry, Very Dry
Clay, Limerock, Loam, Sand
Sun
Salt Tolerance: High, occasional inundation and salt spray

AKA: Hairawn Muhly, Sweetgrass, Pink Cloud Grass

This evergreen grass is a favorite in landscapes across the state. The showy purple-pink seedheads create a cloud-like effect in fall, although they can go to seed anytime between May-November. When it comes to pruning, we recommend yearly finger/rake combing in late spring if desired. If desired, you can cut it back to the ground (leave only 1-2″ of growth) every other year for peak performance.

It’s a larval host plant for the Orange Skipperling skipper. The late fall seeds are eaten by songbirds and small mammals. The thick grass offers shelter for a variety of small mammals and insects. Birds and other mammals have been observed using the foliage for nest making.

This grass has been used for centuries for basket weaving, particularly by the Seminole Tribe. Notably, it is also used for the famous Sweetgrass Baskets of Low County, a practice brought from Africa in the 1800s by those enslaved in the colonies. (1) (World’s Largest Sweetgrass Basket)