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Deer Grass

Deer Grass

MUHLENBERGIA rigens

Direct from greenhouse
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Ships as 4"
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Common Name(s)
Deer Grass, Muhly
Sunlight
Full Sun (6+ hrs) or Partial Sun / Shade (3-6 hrs)
Watering
Let dry
Max Height
2'–4'
Max Spread
Over 24"
Special Features
California Native
Garden Design Role
Architectural
Bloom Season
Summer, Fall
Lifespan
Perennial
Growing Habit
Clumping, Tufted
Drought Resistance
High drought resistance
Foliage Color
Green, Red/Orange, Lime Green, Silver
Stem Color
Green, Purple/Black, Lime Green
Genus
Muhlenbergia
Family
Poaceae
Ship Size
4"

Deer Grass builds a dense fountain of arching green blades, three to four feet across at maturity, with narrow cream-to-tan flower plumes shooting out above the tuft like sparks. This live 4-inch plant of Muhlenbergia rigens is a California native, and it grows into real garden architecture without ever needing to be clipped into shape.

Plant it where a naturalistic border needs a full stop — at a path corner, repeated down a dry slope, or standing alone against gravel. It reads as structure in every season, holds its form through winter, and once established it wants very little water and even less fuss. Lean soil actually suits it better than rich, since feeding only makes the clump floppy.

Fun fact: Deergrass has been one of the foundation materials of Indigenous Californian basketry for centuries, its long straight flower stalks bundled into the coiled cores of baskets.

  • Sunlight: Full Sun (6+ hrs) or Partial Sun / Shade (3-6 hrs)
  • Water: Let dry
  • Mature Size: 2'–4' tall × over 24" wide
  • Bloom Season: Summer, Fall
  • Lifespan: Perennial in zones 7–10 — grown as an annual in colder zones
  • Hardiness Zones: 7–10
  • Special: California Native

Cut it back in late winter and it returns for years — and it arrives healthy or we replace it free.

Deer Grass