Muhly Grass, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida

Muhly grass is a Florida native ornamental grass that thrives in Southwest Florida's sun, sandy soil and salt, and puts up clouds of pink to purple plumes every fall. It is a low-care pick for mass plantings, borders and coastal lots. We deliver and plant it in 1, 3 and 7 gallon, so you can fill a bed with small plants or set instant full clumps.

Light:: Full sun
Water:: Low; very drought tolerant once established, and it handles brief flooding
Salt:: High for salt spray; moderate in salty soil

Text Me a Planted Price Call (239) 799-5594

Muhly Grass sizes we deliver and plant

Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.

Variety or form	Sizes	Good to know
Muhly Grass	7 Gallon	Our 7 gallon muhly grass gives you a full, mature-looking clump on day one for entries and focal beds.
Gulf Coast Muhly Grass	1 Gallon, 3 Gallon	Sold in 1 and 3 gallon, these smaller plants suit drifts and mass plantings that fill in within a season or two.

Muhly Grass in SW Florida, at a glance

Mature size here: 3 to 4 ft tall and 2 to 3 ft wide, with plumes rising to about 5 ft in fall
Light: Full sun
Water: Low; very drought tolerant once established, and it handles brief flooding
Salt tolerance: High for salt spray; moderate in salty soil
Cold tolerance: Hardy; frost browns some foliage but it regrows in spring
Growth rate: Moderate
Spacing: 24 to 36 in on center for mass plantings
Florida native: Yes
Botanical name: Muhlenbergia capillaris

Where Muhly Grass works in a SW Florida yard

Plant muhly grass in drifts of five or more, in full sun, where late-afternoon light can backlight the fall plumes, such as along a driveway, a fence line or the front of a pool-cage bed. It shrugs off seawall wind and spray.

Pair it with firebush, coontie and beach sunflower for an all-native, low-water bed. Each clump reaches about 3 feet wide, so leave room for it to show its shape.

Fall color mass plantings
Coastal and canal borders
Low-water native beds
Sunny entry drifts
Rain garden edges

How our crew plants it

Plant muhly grass at the same depth it grew in the pot, with the crown level with the soil, in full sun and well-drained ground. Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart for a drift that knits together in a season or two.

Skip rich soil and heavy amendments. Water in well and keep new plants moist, using the extra watering Lee and Collier allow for new plantings. Once the roots take hold, it needs little beyond rain.

Care after planting

Cut the clumps back hard, to a few inches above the ground, in late winter before spring growth starts, which clears the brown leaves.
Water new plants until they root in, then keep them off daily lawn sprinkler zones, since established muhly needs little beyond rain.
One light feeding as growth takes off in spring is plenty, and the Lee County, Naples and Marco Island summer ban on nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer runs June 1 to September 30.
Lift and divide clumps in early spring when the center thins out after several years.

What to watch for

Cutting back in summer or fall removes the developing flower stalks, so do the haircut in late winter.
Too much shade or too much water leaves muhly thin and floppy with few plumes, so keep it in full sun and off daily irrigation.

Muhly Grass questions we hear

When does muhly grass bloom in Florida?+

Muhly grass blooms in the fall, usually from about October into November in SW Florida, with pink to purple plumes that rise above the clump. The color fades to tan by winter. Full sun gives the best show, and young plants may take a couple of seasons to fill out.

When should I cut back muhly grass?+

Cut it back in late winter, around February, before new growth starts in spring. Trim it hard, to a few inches above the ground, which clears the old leaves. Cutting in summer or fall removes the flower stalks that are forming for that year's show.

How far apart do I plant muhly grass?+

Space it 24 to 36 inches apart on center for a mass planting. Clumps reach about 3 feet wide, so closer spacing fills the bed faster and wider spacing gives each plant room to show its shape. Odd-numbered groups look the most natural.

Is muhly grass good near the water and salt spray?+

Yes. It is a coastal native that handles salt spray, wind, sandy soil and drought, and UF/IFAS says it tolerates extended flooding too. That makes it a strong choice for canal, bay and Gulf-front lots in Cape Coral, Naples and Sanibel. Keep it in full sun.

Does muhly grass need fertilizer or much water?+

Very little of either. Water new plants until they root in, then rely on rain and your assigned days. One light spring feeding is optional. In Lee County, Naples and Marco Island, hold off on nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer from June 1 to September 30.

How much does muhly grass cost to install?+

Plant size, plant count and the area to cover set the price. Text the bed length and your address for a planted price, typically within the hour during the day. Half down holds the plants and a delivery day.

Updated October 2026