Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
A cloud of cotton-candy pink seedheads in October that glows in backlight. Tidy green mound all summer, thriving on dry, sandy sites.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
No other native plant produces this cotton-candy pink fall cloud. it's the most visually dramatic grass we carry.
In October, Pink Muhly Grass produces a cloud of cotton-candy pink seedheads so dense and luminous that it photographs like a botanical special effect. The fine-textured foliage mounds low all season, and then in fall the flower panicles erupt: tiny, hair-fine, and held in a mass so thick and airy that the plant seems to float. In morning or evening backlight it glows pink, shifting to soft rose as the season progresses. Dry, sandy, full-sun sites are where it's happiest: coastal plains, rocky slopes, and thin soils where other ornamentals struggle. It's extremely drought-tolerant once established and thrives with zero supplemental water in most Southeast and Mid-Atlantic climates. The fine foliage stays tidy and attractive all summer, making it a neat mound of green that explodes into the pink fall display. Mass five or more together for the full effect. Single specimens are attractive but the cloud of color really registers when you plant in numbers. Cut it back to 4 inches in late winter before new growth begins.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown pink muhly grass propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
Plant pink muhly grass instead of Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum, P. alopecuroides in some regions). Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Dry
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft · 24–36 in wide
- USDA zones
- 6–10
- Family
- Poaceae
- Native range
- Eastern and central United States, from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Kansas and Texas
Care notes for pink muhly grass.
Plant in full sun in dry to average, well-drained to sandy soil. Very drought-tolerant once established. avoid overwatering and mulching too deeply around the crown, which can cause rot. Cut back to 4 inches in late winter. Does not self-seed aggressively. No fertilizer needed; lean soil intensifies fall bloom.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside pink muhly grass.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.