Fall Beauty Other Than Trees

Around here, the first things to show up in fall are the forbs and grasses (standard for a former prairie area.)  Grasses are hard to photograph well, especially if the air is not dead still and the light just right (the two don't often go together!!!)   But here's my pick for the most elegant large grass in Texas, and one that should be a dramatic focal point in every "native plant" yard.


Lindheimer Muhly
Lindheimer Muhly is a medium-tall grass, whose infloresence can reach 5-6 feet.  Unlike Pampas grass, the leaves are now saw-edged on the sides and won't cut you at first contact.  This is a grass we rescued from a construction site (that was destroying and entire field of native grasses and forbs)  and we propagate it in our grass garden (and enjoy it there.)   In the same grass garden are Eastern Gama, Indiangrass, White Tridens, Big Bluestem,  two different native Goldenrods, Maximilian Sunflower, Liatris, Eryngo,  many others.

Here's "Heath Aster",  forming a delicate white mound (and beloved of fall pollinators, wasps, bees, and some butterflies.)   It's growing right next to a large clump of Big Bluestem.


And here's one of our two goldenrod species; the other one blooms first and is "out of bloom" now.

The purple Liatris is still in flower, though falling over and mostly faded; the Eryngo is over and dried.

And another picture of Lindheimer Muhly just because I can: