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Pink Flamingo Muhly Muhlenbergia 'Pink Flamingos'

Phonetic Spelling
mew-len-BERG-gee-uh
Description

Pink Flamingo Muhly is a naturally occurring ornamental hybrid of upright warm-season grass of the Poaceae family. It is tall, and erect, and measures 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. It forms an upright clump of narrow, wispy plumes of bluish-green grass. In the fall from September to October, the leaves are topped with very showy, airy clouds of bright pink flower plumes. As the flowers age, they turn silvery-gray, and the plant becomes dormant by mid-November.

This plant was discovered at the Peckerwood Garden in Hempstead, Texas. It is a putative hybrid between Muhlenbergia capillaris (Muhly grass) and Muhlenbergia linheimeri (Lindheimer's Muhly).  Muhly grass produces puffy pink seed heads, while Lindheimer's Muhly produces tall, wispy plumes of grass. Pink Flamingo Muhly is a combination of these traits.

The genus, Muhlenbergia, was named after Gotthilf Muhlenberg, a botanist, chemist, and mineralogist. He is credited with classifying and naming at least 150 species of plants in his Index Flora Lancastriensis, published in 1785. He lived from 1753-1815.

Pink Flamingo Muhly prefers full sun, but it will tolerate some partial shade. It requires low to moderate moisture and is a tough heat-loving grass. It is also drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and best planted in USDA hardiness zones 6 to 10. 

Pink Flamingo Muhly is one of the most spectacular of the native grasses. It will make an attractive specimen, but for the most stunning display, consider planting in masses or small groups in the landscape.  

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom:  Fall     Foliage:  Summer, Fall, and Winter

Quick ID Hints:

  • warm season grass that grows upright and clumping
  • tall, linear, bluish-green leaves
  • showy, airy pink spiked blooms in the fall
  • dormant during the winter

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: It has no serious insects or disease issues.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

 

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscape:
Xeric Garden
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#showy flowers#small spaces#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#pink flowers#mass planting#upright form#deer resistant#blue-green leaves#fringed flowers#grass#hybrid#landscape plant sleuths course
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#showy flowers#small spaces#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#pink flowers#mass planting#upright form#deer resistant#blue-green leaves#fringed flowers#grass#hybrid#landscape plant sleuths course
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Muhlenbergia
    Family:
    Poaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Colorful
    Dimensions:
    Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Erect
    Rounded
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    3 feet-6 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Type:
    Caryopsis
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Pink
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Flower Description:
    The blooms are airy clouds of bright pink flower plumes.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    The leaves are thin, long, linear, and wispy bluish-green plumes of grass.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Small Space
    Walkways
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Fairy Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Mass Planting
    Specimen
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Heat