Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southwestern United States
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Muhlenbergia rigens, Muhlenbergia emersleyi
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sandy areas
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-118-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
12-5
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
-
-
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
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
fertilize in spring
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Heat Tolerance
Drought
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Deers, Insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Nesting sites for birds, Shelter for wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Sore throat
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Root
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
MUHLENBERGIA rigens
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Deer Grass
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
हिरण घास
Shell Ginger
In German
Deer Grass
Shell Ginger
In French
cerfs Herbe
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
Ciervo Hierba
Shell jengibre
In Greek
ελάφια Grass
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
cervos grama
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Deer Trawa
Shell Imbir
In Latin
deer Grass
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Anthophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Poales
Zingiberales
Family
Poaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Muhlenbergia
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Chloridoideae
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
40150
1
27800
👆🏻