Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Grass
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
North America, United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
-
Foxtail muhly, Devils Canyon muhly, alkali muhly
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
High elevation, Hillside, Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12 - 7
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm45.72 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Pink, Purple, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Brown, White
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Blue Green, Gray Green, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Needs less watering, Water every 3 weeks until the root ball is wet
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Grass Cuttting and pruning up to 5cm, Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, EDTA iron
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
-
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
MUHLENBERGIA emersleyi
Common Name
River Birch
Bull Grass
In Hindi
River Birch
Bull Grass
In German
Fluss Birch
Bull Grass
In French
Birch river
Bull Herbe
In Spanish
river Birch
Bull Hierba
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Δελτίο Grass
In Portuguese
river Birch
touro grama
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Bull Trawa
In Latin
Betula
Bull Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fagales
Cyperales
Family
Betulaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Betula
Muhlenbergia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Eragrostideae
Subfamily
-
Chloridoideae
Number of Species
3180
1
27800
👆🏻