The Low-Maintenance Ornamental Grass That'll Add A Pop Of Pink To Your Yard

If you're looking to make some outdoor updates to add value to your home, consider switching up the colors and textures in your landscaping. A little refresh can make a drab outdoor space come alive. And a great option to transform your garden beds is the lovely muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), a native ornamental grass. Also known as hairgrass or pink hairgrass, muhly grass is a type of warm-season grass with a clumping habit, easily identified by its fluffy pink to purplish-red flowers in fall. 

A species native to the central and eastern part of the U.S., as well as Guatemala and the Caribbean, muhly grass is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. Its upright growth of dark green leaves above the base adds dimension to flower beds or striking height to a border. The changing appearance of muhly grass over the year makes it a refreshing ornamental choice: You'll witness 3-foot-tall, needle-like leaf fronds in spring and summer that give way to silky and airy pink plumes come autumn. Even after the cloud-like pink flowers are no more, the tall showy structure persists into winter, adding volume to your landscaping year-round.

Muhly grass is a fuss-free plant for beginning gardeners, as it doesn't require a lot of maintenance once it's properly established in a landscape. It can tolerate just about whatever conditions you throw at it, from drought to flooding to urban conditions and poor soil. Additionally, there are very few known insects or diseases that impact muhly grass seriously. You can truly enjoy the bare minimum in upkeep for this grass, choosing to cut back the brown, dead foliage in spring or not. For the best results, provide consistent moisture and plenty of full sun.

You should consider adding ornamental grass to your yard like muhly grass to take advantage of its beautiful fall color. Add it to a border with shorter perennials or grow it instead of shrubs for a lower-maintenance option. Place several individual plants together in clumps for the most impact on your landscaping. You'll also be doing songbirds and animals a favor by growing muhly grass in your yard. The tall fronds are perfect for providing cover throughout the year, including winter. Muhly grass also attracts butterflies, an added plus to this uniquely-colored ornamental grass variety. Most importantly, muhly grass will not overtake native grass or native plants, even when planted as ground coverage over poor soil.