Choose a pink fall cloud, a silver-gray Texas clump, or a California deer-grass mound first.
Choose pink muhly, Lindheimer's muhly, or deer grass first
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Pink fall cloud | Pink muhly grass — airy pink panicle, two to three feet | Do not buy it if you wanted a tall silver screen |
| Silver Texas clump | Lindheimer's muhly — taller silver-gray heads | Do not treat it as Lindheimer's gaura |
| California fountain mound | Deer grass — tan spikes on a broad clump | Do not expect a pink cloud from this tag |
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The first choice is plume color, then size. Pink muhly grass is the pink fall cloud in full sun. Lindheimer's muhly is the taller silver-gray clump for a screen or a specimen, not a pink mass. Deer grass is the western fountain mound with tan spikes. Read the Latin on the tag before you buy, because shop names mix muhly with fountain grass and mix Lindheimer's muhly with gaura. A white-plumed shop plant is still pink muhly, not a fourth kind. [1] [2]
Which muhly should I plant?
Buy pink muhly grass for a pink fall cloud, Lindheimer's muhly for a taller silver screen, or deer grass for a California fountain mound.
Does Lindheimer's muhly have pink plumes?
No. Lindheimer's muhly holds silver-gray heads. Buy pink muhly grass if you want the pink cloud.
Browse by kind
Match the plume and the size, then pick that kind. Care for the clump you already have on How to Grow Pink Muhly Grass. [3] [4]
Pink muhly grass
pink muhly grass is the pink fall cloud, about two to three feet, with an airy panicle that looks like mist from the road. Buy this group for a sunny mass planting, not a tall screen. The heads are the tell: they are pink, not silver, and they are not a bottlebrush.
Lindheimer's muhly
Lindheimer's muhly grows about two to five feet and holds silver-gray heads on blue-green blades. Buy it when you want a taller, upright clump, not a pink cloud. It is a grass, not Lindheimer's gaura.
Deer grass
deer grass is a western fountain mound, about three to five feet, with tan-to-yellow spikes. It takes full sun and dry spells once it roots. It is not a pink muhly, and deer usually leave it alone despite the name.
If you want the pink fall cloud, buy pink muhly grass — a silver Texas clump will not give you that color.
FAQ
Is White Cloud in this catalog?
No. White Cloud is a white-plumed pink muhly we do not list. If you own one, treat it as the same pink-muhly class, with white heads instead of pink.
Is bamboo muhly in this catalog?
No. Bamboo muhly is Muhlenbergia dumosa. If you own one, it is a different, bamboo-like clump, not pink muhly grass.
Does Lindheimer's muhly need a hard cut every year?
Not always. The foliage can stand through winter. Break off brittle stalks and comb dead blades with a rake if a hard cut leaves it slow to recover.
Is deer grass a plant deer eat?
Usually no. The name is the western grass, not a deer-food crop. Deer generally leave the clump alone.
Related guides
References
- [1] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/muhlenbergia-capillaris/ - [2] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/muhlenbergia-lindheimeri/ - [3] Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center -
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MULI - [4] UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County -
https://ucanr.edu/site/mg-sonoma/muhlenbergia-rigens-deer-grass
This note is part of Muhlenbergia Guides.
More type comparisons by plant are gathered in Types of Plants Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors