- Native from New York and Massachusetts to Florida and Texas, pink muhly grass is found in pine woods and coastal areas. It forms 2- to 3-foot clumps of very fine foliage that's bluish-green in spring and summer but changes to coppery gold in autumn. The fall flower stems add another 2 feet to the size of the clump. Other names for pink muhly grass are purple muhly grass, gulf muhly, hairgrass and hairawn muhly.
- In fall, muhly grass is covered with pink flowers so fine it appears as if a haze has settled over the plant. The flowers are followed by very small, tan or brown seed heads that persist a long time, adding interest to the winter landscape. Flowers on the species are shades of pink or purple. One commercially available cultivar, Regal Mist (also sold as Lenca), has more intensely colored flowers, a deep reddish-pink.
- Muhly grass grows best in full sun or very light shade in well-drained soil, and is both drought and salt tolerant. It's rarely bothered by insects or diseases, and in fact, attracts beneficial ladybugs to the garden. The only maintenance required is a haircut in early spring before new growth starts. Space the plants 2 to 3 feet apart. Muhlenbergia is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant zones 6 through 9.
- Muhlenbergia is a tidy clumping grass and doesn't spread by runners or rhizomes, so clump division is the best method of propagation. Divide pink muhly grass in the spring only, so that it gets well-established before cold weather arrives in the fall. Alternatively, collect seeds in the late fall and air-dry them for five to 10 days before planting. The seeds do not need cold stratification to germinate, but should only be covered with 1/8 inch of soil when planted. Never collect clumps from the wild, as this native plant is an endangered species in part of its range.
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