Muhlenbergia dubia Fourn. ex Hemsl.
Poaceae (Grass Family)
USDA Symbol: MUDU
The genus of this plant is named for Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg (1753-1815), also Heinrich Ludwig Muehlenberg, or Henry Muhlenberg, who was a German-educated Lutheran minister and the first president of Franklin College, now Franklin and Marshall College, Pennsylvania. He is most famous due to his work in the field of botany. An accomplished botanist, chemist, and minerologist, Henry is credited with classifying and naming 150 species of plants in his 1785 work Index Flora Lancastriensis. Muhlenberg's work and collaboration with European botanists led to great advances in the study of plants and earned him the distinction as America's first outstanding botanist.
From the Image Gallery
Plant CharacteristicsDuration: Perennial
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Fruit Type: Caryopsis
Size Class: 1-3 ft.
Bloom InformationBloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Aug , Sep , Oct
DistributionUSA: AZ , NM , TX
Native Habitat: Found on rocky slopes in the Trans-Pecos mountains at elevations 5,000-7,000 feet.
Growing ConditionsWater Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Conditions Comments: Wonderful small grass that will not seed out everywhere and it makes a nice mass effect when planted in groups. Leaves are stiff and rather upright giving the plant a tidy, formal appearance that is somehow soft at the same time. It is like a small version of the Big muhly, and used in the garden in similar ways.
BenefitConspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Deer Resistant: High
PropagationPropagation Material: Seeds
Seed Collection: Collect seed in late fall, winter.
Seed Treatment: Start in cool weather. Low germination rate.
Commercially Avail: yes
Mr. Smarty Plants says
Trimming of native muhly grasses
February 11, 2008
Do pine muhly, gulf muhly, and bull muhly need an "annual haircut"? I started wondering after reading that Lindheimer's muhly does not have to be cut back each year. I cut back all my non-muhly n...
view the full question and answer
From the National Suppliers DirectoryAccording to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:
Wrights Nursery - Briggs, TX
Far South Wholesale Nursery - Austin, TX
From the National Organizations DirectoryAccording to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Native Plant Society of Texas - Fredericksburg, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Williamson County Chapter - Georgetown, TX
Additional resourcesUSDA: Find Muhlenbergia dubia in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Muhlenbergia dubia in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Muhlenbergia dubia
MetadataRecord Modified: 2008-08-27
Research By: TWC Staff, MAC