If you want an aesthetic addition to your garden, growing pink muhly grass is a great option. Its scientific name is Muhlbergia, but commonly it is known as Muhly Grass. Pink Muhly Grass has a distinctive fairy look with its pink and purplish inflorescences airing above the plant body. It grants a splendid appeal to your garden. Being native to Florida and the Eastern part of the United States, Pink Muhly Grass is known for its ability to tolerate a more extended period of drought. According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, it grows well in the hardiness zones of 5,6,7,8, and 9. Being an easy to grow plant in a variety of conditions and given its splendid looks, Pink Muhly Grass is one of the widely grown plants by the gardeners.
- Humidity
- Watering
- Light
- Soil Conditions
- Organic Matter
- Pruning:
- Other Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
- Question: Can Pink Grass Muhly grow in the shade?
- Question: Does Pink Muhly Grass spread?
- Question: How do you take care of Pink Muhly Grass?
- Question: What goes with Pink Muhly Grass?
- Question: Does Pink Muhly Grass die in winter?
- Question: How quickly does Pink Muhly Grass grow?
- Question: Is Muhly Grass invasive?
Pink Muhly Grass is a member of the grass plant family, but it offers much more aesthetic appeal than its other family members. It is a rugged plant that can easily survive harsh weather conditions. Pink muhly grass is known to survive and bloom under adverse conditions in which other plants can easily perish. It grows best with its different plants alongside. The usual height of Pink Muhly Grass is 3 to 4 feet with almost similar in the span.
Pink Muhly Grass is not an invasive plant at all. It stays tidy without much attention and care. The dark green leaves at the top give rise to flowers in the autumn season that can grow up to 1 foot above the stems. Although strange, Pink Muhly Grass shows significant growth when grown in closed containers as compared to open gardens. However, if you want to grow it in an open garden, it is advised to keep the plants at least 3 to 5 feet apart for better growth.
The common belief is that the foliage gives the plant its distinctive pink color. But that is not correct. It is actually the color of the airy, fluffy flowers that grow on these stems. Some people call it Cotton Candy Grass due to the looks of its flowers. Pink Muhly Grass is a plant that requires minimal care. But it needs proper attention in the first year of growth as it is establishing its roots. Pruning the plant is not a good option as its dead flowers serve as a shelter for animals in the winter season.
With respect to the sunlight, Pink Muhly Grass is a little sensitive to shades. It likes to grow in the open sun under direct exposure. Overwatering them in the winters is not recommended, as it can hamper the overall growth of the plant. As it is not much of an attention-seeking plant, typical rainfall conditions are enough to suffice its needs. Pink Muhly Grass prefers to grow in sunny and warm climates. They are planted alongside the roads and highways for a great touch to the landscaping view. If you want the breathtaking looks in the fall season, you should be growing Pink Muhly Grass in your garden.
Although the Pink Muhly Grass is an easy to grow plant, here are some parameters that you need to ensure for the better end results.
Humidity
Pink Muhly Grass is known to grow best in the dry and warm climates. Such kinds of conditions do not possess many water particles in the air. As its water requirement is not high, that means it does not prefer humidity in the air. High moisture in the air can adversely damage the plant. Pink Muhly Grass is a little sensitive to high humidity levels. It increases the chance of the plant being attacked by the fungal plant disease. Similarly, Pink Muhly Grass also does not like the soggy or more moist soil.
If growing inside the container, the humidifier’s use is recommended to maintain the desired level of humidity.
Watering
Pink Muhly Grass requires proper watering during its growth period as at that time; the roots are establishing their base. The newly planted soil is advised to be kept moist for at least the first month. However, after they have grown, the watering needs drop to a minimum, and average rainfall conditions are more than adequate for their needs. Pink Muhly Grass is highly tolerable to a dry patch or rough drought period for a long time. But in the case of extreme drought or dry season, watering deeply is well suited for its growth.
It is strictly not recommended that the plant should be grown at a site where there is standing water or moist soil. You can apply mulch around the root zone area to keep the weeds away from the plant. It can also help the soil to retain the moisture in it. The watering need of Pink Muhly Grass is not more than 1 inch of water in a week.
Pink Muhly Grass can tolerate a little bit of flooding as well, but the goal is not to keep the soil soggy as it will adversely damage the roots and the overall growth of the plant.
Light
The merciless sun is highly desirable for the better yield of the Pink Muhly Grass. Full sun is highly recommended as it thrives in it. However, in very warm areas, some partial shade can also be provided. The shade time needs to be monitored carefully as too much shade can result in less production of flowers in the fall season.
The ideal time for the sunlight on the Pink Muhly Grass is 6 to 7 hours per day. They should be kept under the full sun during this time without any shade.
Being placed under the direct sun more than 6 to 7 hours per day would mean that you would need to keep an eye out on the moisture level of the soil because it can dry out sooner than expected in the high temperatures.
Soil Conditions
The properties and contents of soil play an important role in the growth of any plant. However, there are some tough plants that are rugged enough to thrive in a variety of soil conditions ranging from good to worst. One of such plants is Pink Muhly Grass. With regard to the soil conditions, all Pink Muhly Grass requires is a dry soil in optimum pH range, and that’s it.
Anything from a sandy to rocky soil would work for Pink Muhly Grass. A soil with better moisture-retaining capability is helpful in reducing the water requirements. It can easily tolerate poor soil quality as long as it does not have standing water. It can rot the root of the plant. Pink Muhly Grass prefers mildly acidic to neutral soils with pH range between 5.5 to 7.0. It is a good idea to check the pH of your plantation area before planting the seeds.
One thing about soil that helps the growth of Pink Muhly Grass is the drainage capability. Well-drained soil is the best for the ideal development of the root system. The better grown the root system is, the plant will be at its best. If the soil at the desired station does not possess excellent drainage capability, it can be mixed with some amount of sand for improvement in drainage. The goal is to keep the soil moist always but not soggy. The moist or soggy soil can lead to rotting of the roots, which will ultimately result in the plant’s death.
Organic Matter
Pink Muhly Grass does not require much addition of organic content in the soil. It can tolerate soil with less amount of organic material. However, if your plant is not showing ideal growth or the bloom of the autumn is not what you were expecting, the addition of fertilizer always remains a good option for the improvement.
The ideal time for the addition of fertilizers is the Spring season, although it can also be fertilized again in the mid-summer season. The fertilizer should be added in a balanced amount with a slow-release for the maximum benefit. The ideal amount of fertilizer is 0.25 cup of it per every plant.
The addition of fertilizer can also be done before planting the seeds to initiate a healthy start. The choice of an appropriate fertilizer as per the soil conditions is very important. The addition of fertilizer with high nitrogen content is going to affect the growth of Pink Muhly Grass. Recommended fertilizer is Mild Organic Plant Food.
Pruning:
Being easy to take care of, Pink Muhly Grass does not require much pruning. It is not an invasive plant as well. But pruning is going to increase the overall yield nevertheless if done at the right time.
It is advised to do the pruning just before the growing season begins. Only the dead foliage needs to be pruned. Cut it back but not too close to the crown of the plant. The cutting should be ideally at 4 to 5 inches from the crown.
Pruning in the summer season is not a healthy activity as it can damage the growth of the beautiful pink flowers.
The pruning tool should be disinfected by dipping it in 70 to 100 percent ethanol to increase its efficiency. Hedge trimmers or sharp scissors can be used for pruning.
If you do not perform the pruning, it is not a harmful thing. Instead, it will serve as a shelter for wildlife during the severe winter seasons.
Other Tips
- Pink Muhly Grass is very sensitive to severe cold weather conditions, and it can not be grown in place with temperature going below -10 degrees.
- If planting several plants together, it is advised to keep the distance between them at least 2 feet.
- You can divide the plant after every three or more years to keep up their upright shape.
- The application of mulch is recommended in the late fall season to protect the roots in winters.
- If the Pink Muhly Grass is planted on a slope, it can help retain the soil and prevent the process of erosion.
- You can achieve maximum height by providing them constant moisture during the growth time.
- Pink Muhly Grass is a pest and disease-free plant. However, some insects, such as beetles, can attack it.
- Pink Muhly Grass will require immediate watering if the soil has dried up to 2 inches below the surface.
- It is advised to check the drainage of the soil before planting.
- Pink Muhly Grass is not toxic to humans or any of the animals, so it is safe to plant in a residential area.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Question: Can Pink Grass Muhly grow in the shade?
Answer: Yes, Pink Muhly Grass can be grown in the shade if the area is very warm and has more than seven sunlight hours. But the requirement of 6-7 sunlight hours needs to be fulfilled.
Question: Does Pink Muhly Grass spread?
Answer: No, the Pink Muhly Grass clumps, but it does not spread a lot. The average spread of Pink Muhly Grass at its peak is about 2 to 4 feet at max.
Question: How do you take care of Pink Muhly Grass?
Answer: Pink Muhly Grass is a surprisingly easy plant to grow. It does not have any specific water, soil, or climatic requirements that are tough to manage. It does not require much care or a proper watering schedule. Pink Muhly Grass can also grow without any addition of fertilizer, so it is a fairly easy plant to grow.
Question: What goes with Pink Muhly Grass?
Answer: Some plants that are ideal to be grown with Pink Muhly Grass are Low down Sunflower and Hydrangea flowers.
Question: Does Pink Muhly Grass die in winter?
Answer: Pink Muhly Grass cannot tolerate temperature below minus ten degrees Fahrenheit. It will die before the spring season comes.
Question: How quickly does Pink Muhly Grass grow?
Answer: Pink Muhly Grass is not a fast grower. It has a moderate, balanced growth rate. It usually takes a season to grow to its maximum height.
Question: Is Muhly Grass invasive?
Answer: You do not have to worry much about the Pink Muhly Grass being invasive. It is easy to maintain a plant, given that it stays tidy without taking over other things.
