Grass
Lindheimer muhly
Muhlenbergia lindheimeri · Poaceae
Also called: Lindheimer's muhly, Big muhly, Autumn Glow (cultivar)
Lindheimer muhly (Muhlenbergia lindheimeri) is a low-water grass well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It grows to 3-5 ft H x 3-4 ft W (flower spikes to 5-6 ft) in full sun to partial shade, with a moderate to fast growth rate.
Lindheimer muhly at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade
- Mature size
- 3-5 ft H x 3-4 ft W (flower spikes to 5-6 ft)
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Bloom
- Silvery to pale yellow-tan, aging to golden; narrow upright spikes, Fall (Sept-Nov)
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 0 to -10 F; USDA zones 7-10
- Soil
- Adaptable; tolerates clay, loam, rocky, and alkaline/calcareous soils. Prefers good drainage but handles a range of desert soils.
- Native range
- Native to central and west Texas and northeastern Mexico (limestone soils); not native to the Sonoran Desert / Arizona but well adapted to the low desert.
- Best used as
- Upright accent and specimen grass, Mass plantings and informal screens, Borders and perennial beds, Erosion control, Architectural vertical structure in xeriscape
- Wildlife
- Provides cover and nesting material for birds; seeds eaten by birds. Offers habitat structure for small wildlife and insects.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic; not known to be poisonous to humans, pets, or livestock.
How to grow Lindheimer muhly in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought tolerant once established. In Tucson, water deeply every 7-14 days in summer for a full, attractive clump; tolerates lower water. Reduce water in winter.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Low needs; generally no fertilizer required. One light spring application of balanced fertilizer optional to promote vigor and fuller growth.
Pruning & care
Cut back to 4-6 inches in late winter (Feb) every 1-2 years to remove old growth and refresh the clump. Leave flower spikes through winter for interest.
Notes
Robust, cool blue-green clumping grass with a strongly upright, vase-shaped form and elegant silvery fall spikes. Very heat and cold tolerant and a tough, low-maintenance landscape grass widely used in southwestern xeriscapes. Resembles a more upright, finer-bladed deer grass.
Sources: AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Tucson Botanical Gardens / Tohono Chul references