PlantFiles: Devil's Shoestring, Ribbon Grass, Lindheimer's Nolina, Beargrass
Nolina lindheimeriana

Devil's shoestring is an evergreen endemic Texas native and is endemic to the Edward's Plateau region. Devil's shoestring adapts to a wide variety of soil types, but is at home in the limestone based alkaline Hill Country soils as long as the site has excellent drainage. Usually, the plants may be found growing on limestone hills of open woodlands and scrubland or in ravines. It will gtow in full sun, partial sun or shade. It is extremel heat and drought tolerant. It is reportedly toxic to livestock (sheep especially); however, tender young bloom stalks may be susceptible to damage where deer pressure is high. Once established, it is deer resistant except during times of severe drought. Nolina lindheimeriana is quite infrequent and becoming more so as its habitat is destroyed through development or overgrazing. The plant whose photo is posted here was destroyed a few days after I photograhed it as the road was being widened. I wish I had known this was going to happen because I would have dug it up and tried to plant it in my yard. It is difficult to transplant because it is difficult to not injure the taproot as it is being dug up.

This ornamental species has 12 to 36 inches long, 1/2 inch wide, grasslike, rich green leaves which arise in a dense whorl from a rosette. They are minutely sawtoothed along the margin. The leaves spread out gracefully arching to the ground and cover a 2 to 4 feet wide area. It resembles a fine-leafed yucca (but blooms and seed capsules are different). Its clumps show to best advantage when not crowded so they should be planted 3-4 feet apart.

In late May through July, 2-3 feet bloom stalks arise above the foliage qhich produces creamy yellowish-green (may be white to creamish white), 1.8–2.5 mm flowers. Nolinas are polygamo-dioecious; that is, they usually have male and female flowers on separate plants, but each plant also has a few perfect flowers (male and female flower parts on one flower). These transform into rows of attractive, first green and then purplish-tinged, somewhat inflated, thin, notched at each end, papery, winged 6 to 10mm long and 7–11 mm wide seed capsules. The seeds in the capsules are rounded and between 3.1–4.mm long and between 2.4–3.3 mm wide.

Considered a small shrub, devil's shoestring would be an excellent choice as an accent plant or groundcover for areas with dry well drained soil and could be used as a groundcover in partial shade instead of invasive vinca. Mix it in with blackfoot daisy or xemenia for summer color. Watering should be unnecessary after the plant is established.