By Mike Raley
I must say this Weekend Gardener hosting gig these last four decades has been a real education in so many ways. There is much about the plant world I have come to know and appreciate. Alas, though I’m lacking in knowledge about many aspects, I’m still learning.
One of my favorite fall-winter plants is the ever-adaptable pink muhly grass. It’s a workhorse, a “mule” of ornamental grasses. It’s native to North Carolina and thrives in many environments. My good friends at the cooperative extension service tell me that pink muhly grass, as it’s known around here, is pretty happy in dry savannas. Savannas are dry, hot grassland areas with a few trees and are not just found in Africa. They also grow in prairies, upland forests, marshes, or in your home’s sunny landscape. Who doesn’t love plumes of beige, then pink? I also am drawn to reliability. Muhly grass fits the bill.
You should plan on planting muhly grass en masse in spring, when you are likely to find more plants at your local nursery, or in the fall. There is nothing like the big splash of muhly grass pink in the fall or winter sunlight. Muhly grass will help hold the soil, and like many ornamental grasses, it works well in natural gardens. Most muhly grass seedlings eventually grow 3 feet tall and wide. Each panicle varies in size from 12 to 18 inches and maybe up to about 10 inches wide. You’ll have your neighbors talking with this display of color. Just like most plants, muhly grass is happier when planted in well-drained areas with plenty of sun. You need at least six hours of sun. But we have stated that ad nauseam on the WPTF Weekend Gardener.
The pH of the soil is important with any plant in the North Carolina landscape. In the case of muhly, they prefer a little to the south of 7, or slightly acidic. Add some Biotone from Espoma to the soil around the root system before you cover it with soil. Then tamp down the soil well to get rid of air pockets. This is a great idea with every plant you add to the landscape.
If you want to divide your muhly grass, do it in late winter or early spring. You can use a pruning saw or some other tool to cut the root mass into several clumps. Use them to extend your mass planting bed or pass them along to a friend or neighbor. Cut back your plants to 6 to 8 inches before spring brings new growth.
Everybody seems to enjoy watering plants in their yard, but make sure you do it the right way. Water muhly grass seedlings when the top inch or two of soil is dry—moist but not soggy. This plant tolerates drought pretty well, but there are limits, like this past June.
Another task we seem to be fond of is fertilizing our plants. Don’t overdo it on any plant. An early spring fertilization is best. Use a low-nitrogen, balanced, slow-release fertilizer.
About the only pest you face with this colorful plant is muhly grass mealybugs, but you can use a horticultural oil to take care of this problem. You may see a few aphids and spider mites on your plants, but usually not enough to matter.
You’ll find pink muhly grass in the perennial border at the NC State University Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill, and the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham. Ornamental grasses are so popular, and there are numerous varieties, both native and non-native, from which to choose. Pink muhly grass is just one of the crowd favorites in North Carolina.