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Native Plant Society of Texas

Devil's Shoestring

Nolina lindheimeriana

Other common name(s):

Ribbon Grass

Family:

Asparagaceae (Asparagus Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

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Edwards Plateau
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Shrub

Height

1
to
3
ft.

Spread

4
to
5
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Rocky, Limestone, Calcareous, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Seeds, Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Birds, Bees

Maintenance

Extremely drought tolerant. Winter-hardy. Makes a good evergreen accent shrub. Remove old or dead leaves from trunk for neater appearance if desired. Devil’s shoestring prefers the limestone hills and ravines, in the lightly wooded areas of the eastern half of the Edwards Plateau, where it is endemic. Propagation: root division, seed.

Comments

Blooms March-June. Resembles a large clump of grass. Leaves are long, flat, and narrow, with fine saw-toothed edges. Small, cream colored flowers appear on 1-3 foot tall spikes. The Fruit is a three-cornered, inflated capsule. Although still listed by some in the Liliaceae Family, the majority of botanical organizations now list it in the Asparagaceae Family.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 3) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 253. 4) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=NOLI. 5) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Nolina+lindheimeriana&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 6) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=22319&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=503961#null, 8) Native and Adapted Landscape Plants, City of Austin and Texas A&M, 2014. 9) https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/ornamentals/nativeshrubs/nolinalindheimer.htm’, 10) https://www.backyardnature.net/n/w/nolina-l.htm
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