Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Grass
Shrub
Origin
Southwestern United States
Southern Africa
Types
Muhlenbergia rigens, Muhlenbergia emersleyi
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sandy areas
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
12-9
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
Elliptic and Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
fertilize in spring
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Heat Tolerance
Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Deers, Insects
Birds
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Nesting sites for birds, Shelter for wildlife
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Sore throat
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Root
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
MUHLENBERGIA rigens
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
Deer Grass
Carissia
In Hindi
हिरण घास
Carissa
In German
Deer Grass
carissa
In French
cerfs Herbe
carissa
In Spanish
Ciervo Hierba
carissa
In Greek
ελάφια Grass
carissa
In Portuguese
cervos grama
carissa
In Polish
Deer Trawa
carissa
In Latin
deer Grass
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Anthophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Gentianales
Family
Poaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Muhlenbergia
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Carisseae
Subfamily
Chloridoideae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
40100
1
27800
👆🏻