Purple Muhly

Muhlenbergia rigida

Purple muhly sends up slender, deep purple flowering spikes above fine foliage in fall, a striking, drought-proof accent grass for the Southwest.

Family: Poaceae
Type: grass
Lifespan: perennial
Height: 2–4 ft
Spacing: 1.5–2.5 ft apart
Light: sun
Soil moisture: dry
Soil pH: neutral, alkaline
Bloom: September, October
Bloom colors: purple, brown
Wildlife value: songbirds, larval host, mammals
Landscape uses: specimen, border, naturalizing
Native states: AZ, NM, TX