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Common Name: Shining Muttongrass
Other Common Names: Fendler Bluegrass
Scientific Name: Poa fendleriana
Family: Grass Family (Poaceae)
Distribution: western North America
Habitat: desert, foothill, and middle montane habitats
Habit: perennial bunchgrass
Height: to 1-2'
Spread: 0.5-1'
Foliage Color: silver green
Leaves: grass leaves, mainly toward the base of the plant
Flower Color: silvery pink changing to straw-colored
Flower Form: borne in clusters at the tips of erect branches
Flowering Season: spring to early summer

Cultural Requirements: Prefers full sun to partial shade and rich to well-drained soils. Fully cold-hardy. Drought hardy (i.e., needs no supplemental water after establishment on the Wasatch Front), but probably responsive to supplemental watering and fertlizer.

Culture: Easily obtained from direct late fall seeding, and competes well with other bunchgrasses and vigorous perennial herbs. Seeds are nondormant at maturity. Fast- growing, and may flower the first year when produced as container stock.

Uses and Notes of Interest: The pearly pink flowering heads of this handsome bunchgrass appear earlier in the season than those of most other native bunch grasses. Its compact form makes it compatible with perennial flowers in a bed or border, and it will not become invasive. The seeds may be stripped after the heads turn straw color and dry completely.