Nolina texana aka Texas Sacahuista

Nolina texana stays green all year and lives for many years. It belongs to Asparagaceae, the asparagus family. People call it Texas beargrass or Texas sacahuista. Its home range runs from southern New Mexico through Texas. It extends into northern Mexico. There, it grows in deserts or dry land with shrubs. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Its leaves look like grass, but it is an asparagus relative.

The plant forms a dense mound above a short trunk. Its clumps reach about 3 feet (0.9 m) tall. Long, thin leaves give the mound its shape and feel. Each leaf bends and looks like a strap. It can reach 4 feet (1.2 m) long. Each blade is just about a quarter-inch (6 mm) wide. Both sides shine green, and the leaves stay green year-round. Red-brown prickles line the leaf edges. The tips fray rather than end in sharp points. These traits help tell the leaves apart from other grass-like leaves.

White flowers grow in tight groups on short stalks. Each group reaches about 0.8 feet (0.25 m) tall. Virginia Tech gives late spring to midsummer as bloom time. Chicago Botanic Garden lists May through August for bloom. Its records list both pink and white flowers. Most plants bear male or female flowers, not both. Some plants may also have blooms with both sex parts. The small, oval fruits are capsules, or seed cases. Each has three sections. They reach about a quarter-inch (6 mm) long. These seed cases turn gray-brown as they dry.

In gardens, Texas beargrass grows in full sun or part shade. Chicago Botanic Garden lists dry soil for its growth. This fits the dry places in its home range. The same garden gives USDA hardiness zones 7 through 10. These records support its use in sites with dry soil. They do not show a need for moist soil.

The green mound gives gardens shape throughout the year. Summer blooms add interest above the strap-like leaves. Chicago Botanic Garden also notes that the plant resists deer. The sources give no pest or disease guidance for this species. They do not show edible uses or establish toxicity. Resistance to deer does not prove safety for people or pets.