Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
Southwestern United States
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
Types
Muhlenbergia rigens, Muhlenbergia emersleyi
Nyssa sylvatica
Number of Varieties
55
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sandy areas
Lowland, Sandy areas, Wet Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-115-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
9-7
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm1,828.80 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm762.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Crimson, Dark Red, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
Average Water Needs, Medium
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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly 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 in early spring, Prune in late winter, Prune when plant is dormant, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in spring
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Heat Tolerance
Drought, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Deers, Insects
Birds
Allergy
-
Mild Allergen, Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Used in parkland, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Nesting sites for birds, Shelter for wildlife
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Sore throat
Emetic, Opthalmic, Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Root
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Food for insects, Used as a dye, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
MUHLENBERGIA rigens
NYSSA sylvatica
Common Name
Deer Grass
Black Tupelo, Blackgum, Sour Gum
In Hindi
हिरण घास
Black Tupelo Tree
In German
Deer Grass
Schwarz Tupelo Baum
In French
cerfs Herbe
Noir Arbre Tupelo
In Spanish
Ciervo Hierba
Árbol negro Tupelo
In Greek
ελάφια Grass
Μαύρη Tupelo Δέντρο
In Portuguese
cervos grama
Árvore Tupelo Preto
In Polish
Deer Trawa
Czarny Tupelo Drzewo
In Latin
deer Grass
Niger Tupelo ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Anthophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Cornales
Family
Poaceae
Nyssaceae
Genus
Muhlenbergia
Nyssa
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Bombini
Subfamily
Chloridoideae
Nyssoideae
Number of Species
4045
1
27800
👆🏻