by CMG Betty J
The Texas Hill Country is a defined area of nineteen counties situated within the Edwards Plateau. Since the region takes up about 24 million acres, the diversity of its flora and fauna reflects that vast size. Some 280 species of grasses are found here. Some are native and some have been introduced, either intentionally or not. Texas Parks and Wildlife lists the five most common grasses for the Edwards Plateau as silver bluestem, Canada wildrye, big muhly, little bluestem and Indian grass.
Native grasses provide food for wildlife and some grazing for cattle. The deep grass roots protect slopes from erosion and keep the soil from compacting so water can seep into the aquifer below.
Big Muhly also called Lindheimer muhly
Big muhly, also called Lindheimer muhly, Muhlenbergia lindheimeri, is another native, warm season perennial bunchgrass that thrives on the Edwards Plateau. Its feathery florescence grows from 8-16 inches atop stalks that may be as tall as six feet. As a landscape component it can be used effectively as either a screen or an individual accent, sometimes in place of pampas grass. Locate it in an area with full sun or light shade and expect blooms from September until December.