Plumetastic® Pink Muhly Grass
Plumetastic® Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Irvine'
Item #8487 USDA Hardiness Zone: 7 - 10




Availability
Add to FavoritesPlant Description
Stately, showy foliage with an exceptional, upright, slightly arching form. Glittering clouds of vivid purple plumes emerge 3 to 5 weeks later than Regal Mist, lending far richer color from late summer to fall. Foliage stays green much longer than others of its type. An outstanding single specimen; spectacular massed in a meadow or native garden.
- OverviewLight Needs:Partial to full sunWatering Needs:Water regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers.Average Landscape Size:Reaches 2 to 3 ft. tall, clumping slightly wider; blooms reach 4 ft. tall.Key Feature:Vibrant, Colorful PlumesBlooms:Late Summer through FallLandscape Uses:
- DetailBotanical Pronunciation:mew-len-BERG-gee-uh kap-ill-AIR-issPlant type:Perennial, Ornamental GrassDeciduous/evergreen:HerbaceousGrowth habit:RoundedGrowth rate:FastAverage landscape size:Reaches 2 to 3 ft. tall, clumping slightly wider; blooms reach 4 ft. tall.Special features:Bird Friendly, Easy Care, Fast Growing, North American Native Selection, WaterwiseFoliage color:GreenBlooms:Late Summer through FallFlower color:Purplish-pinkGarden styleContemporary, RusticDesign IdeasWonderful planted in mass with a solid wall background to highlight the flowers. Also attractive planted in the open next to a pond or pool. The delicate, airy flowers wave and shimmer in the wind. This plant is versatile and can be mixed into ornamental or native landscape designs. Superb hillside plant, especially when situated so that the flower plumes are back-lit by the afternoon sunlight.Companion PlantsBlack-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia); Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis); Catmint (Nepeta); Tickseed (Coreopsis); Scotch Broom (Cytisus)
- CareCare InformationEasy to grow and adaptable; thrives in average to lean, well-drained soils. Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season to establish an extensive root system; reduce frequency once established. For a neat appearance, hard prune old foliage annually, before new leaves emerge.Pruning time: late winter or early spring..Light Needs:Partial to full sunWatering Needs:Water regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers.
- History & LoreHistory:Muhlenbergia capillaris is native to the Southern U.S and found in pine flatlands, coastal uplands and sandy prairies along the Gulf States. This selection was discovered in an open, mass-planting of cultivated Muhlenbergia capillaris within the landscape at Orange County Great Park in Irvine, CA. It was chosen for its slightly larger and more substantial presence, prolific and dense flowering, noted as having the same open and airy characteristics as the species but with a far richer color and more uniform bloom. As compared to the popular Regal Mist muhly grass, this selection blooms profusely, about 3-5 weeks later, and the foliage remains green well into fall.Lore:The genus Muhlenbergia is named for Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg (1753-1815),a Lutheran minister and the first president of Franklin College in Pennsylvania. He is most famous due to his work in the field of botany where he named and classified over 150 species of plants. Most species are native to Mexico, the U.S. and Asia. Muhlenbergia capillaris is native to the Southern U.S and found in pine flatlands, coastal uplands and sandy prairies along the Gulf States.
Stories

Design School: Massing One Plant for Impact
If you follow this blog, you hear us talk often about how great this or that plant looks "in mass" or "massed." You might wonder just what we mean by...

5 One-Pot Wonders for All-Day Sun (Z: 8 – 11)
Lantanas and lavenders are always lovely in pots set in full sun, but how about something different to jazz-up those hot spots? We’ve got five easy-care shrubs that are a...

Grow a Year-Round Wildlife Habitat Garden (Zone 9 – 11)
Attracting bees, birds, butterflies and other wildlife to your garden is one of the best ways to have a healthy, vibrant, sustainable landscape. The key is to plant a plot...