Accent · Sonoran native
Bear Grass
Nolina microcarpa · Asparagaceae (formerly Nolinaceae/Agavaceae)
Also called: Sacahuista, Beargrass, Smallseed Nolina, Basket Grass
Bear Grass (Nolina microcarpa) is a very low-water accent native to the Sonoran Desert region well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun to partial shade, with a slow to moderate growth rate.
Bear Grass at a glance
- Water use
- Very Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade; very heat tolerant.
- Mature size
- 3-4 ft H x 4-6 ft W (foliage clump); flower stalk to 6-7 ft H
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate
- Bloom
- Creamy white to pale yellowish; small flowers in a dense plume, Spring to early summer (April-June); dioecious. Blooming is irregular and stimulated by good winter/spring rains.
- Cold hardiness
- Cold hardy to about 0°F or below; USDA zones 6-11. Fully hardy throughout the Tucson region.
- Soil
- Well-drained rocky, sandy, or decomposed-granite soils; tolerant of poor, dry, alkaline ground. Needs good drainage.
- Native range
- Native to Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, and northern Mexico; common on rocky slopes and grasslands of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan desert transition zones, including the foothills around Tucson.
- Best used as
- Accent/specimen, Grass-like texture in xeriscapes, Erosion control on slopes, Mass plantings, Naturalistic and revegetation plantings, Median and roadside plantings
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees and pollinators; provides cover and nesting material for birds and small mammals. Leaves historically used by native peoples for basketry. Deer/javelina resistant, though young flower stalks may be browsed.
- Toxicity
- Foliage and especially the flower buds/seeds (the genus Nolina) can be toxic to livestock — particularly sheep, goats, and cattle — causing photosensitization and liver damage if eaten in quantity. Not a hazard for typical residential pets at the doses normally available, but worth noting.
How to grow Bear Grass in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Extremely drought tolerant once established. Water every 3-4 weeks in summer to keep it lush, or rely largely on natural rainfall. Little to no winter water needed.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Not required; thrives in nutrient-poor native soil. A light spring feeding of balanced fertilizer is optional but unnecessary.
Pruning & care
Comb out or remove dead, dried outer leaves to tidy the clump. Remove spent flower stalks. Avoid shearing into a ball; let the natural grassy fountain form show.
Notes
A true desert native that reads like an ornamental grass but is actually a long-lived rosette plant. Forms a dense fountain of narrow, fibrous, grass-like leaves with finely serrated margins. Excellent soft-textured native accent and an authentic Sonoran Desert choice for naturalistic Tucson landscapes.
Sources: AMWUA 'Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert'; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; USDA NRCS Plant Database