Muhlygrass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Muhlygrass or Hairawnmuhly or just Hairgrass is found throughout much of the eastern and central U.S. in moist, slightly acid to mildly alkaline soils. These include the marl prairies of Everglades National Park, moist pinelands with limerock near the surface, and vast low areas on the west coast of Florida near the Gulf.
It is surprisingly tolerant of salt air and some salt water flooding and can live in marl prairies with months of shallow freshwater flooding.
The thin leaves are smooth and won’t cut you when pulled. They will trip you if planted near a walkway though. These reach a height of about two feet, with the flower heads rising to almost three feet before bending over.
The Gullah people of Georgia and South Carolina use a different species called Sweetgrass or Gulf muhly grass mixed with Longleaf Pine needles and palm leaf strips to make their famous baskets. This species is a bit taller and grows from North Florida through North and South Carolina. Click for more info.
The flowering season is in early fall with masses of billowing pink flowers waving in the slightest breeze. It gives movement to the landscape and looks like pink snow when covered with early morning dew.
In early spring you can either light a match to the base and burn off the old leaves, and new ones too, or put on gloves and gently pull around the base to break off the mass of dead leaves accumulated there.
Or just pull the leaves up straight and cut at the base. Careful, because it is easily uprooted. Place the cut leaves around each plant to provide mulch and suppress weeds. No need to cart this resource away. This works!
Although interesting as small groups mixed with wildflowers and other plants, Pink Muhlygrass is fantastic in a flowing mass. Just plant around two feet apart so that there is little room for weeds to fill in between the plants. Torpedo Grass can be a real problem if not eradicated before planting.
Sand Cordgrass, Fakahatchee Grass, Dwarf Fakahatchee Grass and Andropogon species do well when layered with Muhly Grass. It is also a good soil binder on easily eroded slopes. Mix in some Seaside goldenrod, various mallow species and other tall wildflowers like Narrowleaf Sunflower and Carolina aster for color.