Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
Southwestern United States
North America, United States, Southwestern United States, California, Mexico
Types
Muhlenbergia rigens, Muhlenbergia emersleyi
Lebombo ironwood, Giant ironwood
Number of Varieties
55
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sandy areas
Desert, Dry areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-118-12
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
8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Clump-Forming
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Light Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Chocolate, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Gray Green, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
Small oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in spring
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Deers, Insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Nesting sites for birds, Shelter for wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Sore throat
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Root
Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Carvings, Knife handles
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Rock Garden / Wall, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
MUHLENBERGIA rigens
OLNEYA tesota
Common Name
Deer Grass
Ironwood
In Hindi
हिरण घास
रेगिस्तान आइरनवुड
In German
Deer Grass
Wüsteneisenholz
In French
cerfs Herbe
désert Ironwood
In Spanish
Ciervo Hierba
Ironwood desierto
In Greek
ελάφια Grass
Ironwood έρημο
In Portuguese
cervos grama
deserto Ironwood
In Polish
Deer Trawa
pustynia Ironwood
In Latin
deer Grass
desert ironwood
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Anthophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Fabales
Family
Poaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Muhlenbergia
Olneya
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Robinieae
Subfamily
Chloridoideae
Faboideae
Number of Species
4030
1
27800
👆🏻