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Muhlenbergia emersleyi 'Madrone'
Madrone Bull Grass
Description
Muhlenbergia emersleyi 'Madrone' is underused as an accent and groundcover grass. With year-round good looks, it is a great choice for drought-tolerant meadows. Our selection has particularly dark purple flowers which offers quite a show, especially when backlit early or late in the day. While the purple color of the newly-emerging flowers are fleeting, the mature seedheads are tidy on the plant into the winter. Plant Muhlenbergia emersleyi 'Madrone' singularly, in groups, or massed. It's a dependable groundcover and it's excellent on slopes and for erosion control.
Our selection is from a population in West Texas collected by the Hunter S. Thompson of Texas horticulture, Dan Hosage. Dan said the purple flowers on this selection seemed darker than the typical species and they stopped him in his tracks, so he collected the plant. We have gotten many treasures from Dan over the years.
General Details
Plant Type
Grass, Poaceae
Native Region
Southwestern USA
Seasonality
Warm-season, evergreen
Height
Foliage grows 18-24 inches tall, flowers 2-3 feet above the foliage
Width
2-3 feet
Alternate Names
Muhlenbergia gooddingii, Gooding's Muhly, Madrone Bull Muhly
Aesthetic Form
Landscaping Value
Groundcover, erosion control, meadows
Foliage
Willowy medium green leaves
Flower Form
Tall feather-like dark purple seedheads
Bloom Cycle
Fall
Growth Habits
Clumping, forms airy tufts
Plant Pairings
Festuca mairei, Boutelouas, Seslerias, sedges, other Muhlenbergias like lindheimeri and dumosa
Care & Maintenance
Watering Needs
Low, very drought-tolerant
Soil Preferences
Wide adaptability from sand to clay
Sun Exposure
Full sun to partial shade
Winter Heartiness
0° F, USDA zones 7-100° F, USDA zones 7-10
Desert Adaptability
No Available Information
Costal Adaptability
No Available Information