Muhlenbergia sobolifera

Common Names

Rock Muhly

Summary

Rock muhly is a native North American perennial grass distributed across eastern North America from Maine to Ontario and south to Texas, with a range extending west to Wisconsin and Nebraska. It grows as rhizomatous clumps with culms 25–95 cm tall and leaves 4–16 cm long and 2–7 mm wide; the branched panicle is 4–18 cm long and usually exserted, and spikelets are 1.6–3 mm long with glumes 1–2.5 mm, lemmas 1.6–2.8 mm, paleas 1.6–2.9 mm, and anthers 1.7–2.3 mm. It inhabits dry upland forests, rock outcrops, and rocky calcareous woodlands and forests, including mesic to dry-mesic habitats on sandstone, chert, or limestone, at elevations from 0–1200 m. In cultivation, it prefers dry, rocky, calcareous sites and mesic to dry-mesic habitats; it forms rhizomatous clumps that can spread, and its broad distribution across eastern North America, including Ontario, reflects wide adaptability.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

10 inches-3 feet

Soil Type

Dry, rocky, well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Dry soil

Soil pH

Alkaline (calcareous) soils

Bloom Time

Summer and Fall

Seasons of Interest

Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Rhizomes

Attracts Wildlife

Unknown