Out in the Garden

DEERGRASS—Muhlenbergia rigens: with Adam Hart - Horticulture Director

Muhlenbergia rigens, commonly called deergrass, has quickly become one of my favorite ornamental grasses. The plant is quick to establish and drought-tolerant, and forms a tidy tuft of very slender three-foot-long leaves. The real show begins in late summer when the plant sends up slender, arching flower spikes that can reach over 5 feet high. The effect is wonderfully architectural and dramatic in the landscape. The flower spikes can be pale yellow or even light purple, but in our garden they appear nearly silver! The plant can be evergreen in a mild winter, though it benefits from being cut back in the early spring before new growth starts. This will ensure a fresh, clean look throughout the growing season.

Deergrass is native to the southwest United States, and therefore is a great option for a waterwise landscape. Though it can handle weekly watering, once established it needs no supplemental watering and is very heat tolerant. Just ensure good drainage and sunlight to keep the plant thriving. Despite its name, deer do not graze on it much beyond new tender growth, but it is a great source of food for birds. The thin, flexible flower stalks were also cultivated by indigenous tribes in the Southwest for use in coiled basket weaving, with each basket requiring over 3000 individual stems!