Nolina microcarpa     
Bear grass   
Agavaceae Family     

Form: shaggy, clumping grass
Seasonality: evergreen
Size: 3-6ft, spread 8ft or greater
Leaves: narrow, grasslike; curly strings on tips; raspy teeth along margins; leaves grow from underground stems
Flowers: on terminal stalks; may or may not be higher than foliage; greenish-white clusters, bloom in early spring, flowers look like wispy mass

Nolina microcarpa note curly threads on ends of leaf points (below)

Fruit: papery, sheathed seeds in early summer
Stems/Trunks: not significant (stem is underground)
Range/Origin: southwest US, elevations of 3000-6500ft
Hardiness: to 0°F

LANDSCAPE VALUE:

• accent
• stabilizes, fiberous root system is good on hillsides
• medians

CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Exposure: full sun, heat
• Water: infrequent; perhaps 1-2 times per month during growing season
• Soil: tolerant, good drainage
• Propagation: fresh seed, no treatment needed
• Maintenance: low; occasional pruning; thin clumps to rejuvenate old plants

NOTES:

not as attractive when old (10 years or so), gets spread out and center is thin

form has a superficial resemblance to Hesperaloe parviflora, see table below for identification characteristics:

	Hesperaloe parviflora	Nolina microcarpa
leaf form	rolled	flat
margin details	threads along edge smooth	curly on tip only raspy
flower	showy, red, held on tall stalk several feet above foliage	white, inconspicuous

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This page was first created June 29, 2001 and last modified May 15, 2004.

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