Blue Nolina is a large blue-green succulent tree-like flowering shrub in the asparagus family and native to the deserts of Mexico. It can reach a height of up to 20 feet with a tufted, 4 to 5 foot canopy, blueish green leaves, white flowers that appear in spring, and large fruit capsules. Once it flowers, the main trunk dies back and multiple lateral trunks form at the base. Its coarse texture and upright, majestic form add drama to a low-water-use landscape. It is slow-growing and very drought and heat tolerant. Plant it in full sun in well-drained soil. Note that Blue Nolina is very slow to establish. Deep and infrequent water is needed during summer, but no water other than rainfall is needed during winter. Remove dead or dying foliage. It is a desert plant, used to dry and hot environments; however, it is also relatively cold hardy to 10 degrees F. The foliage canopy at and near the top of the shrub will become sparse with age. Similar to other species of Nolina , Blue Nolina can inflict major deep cuts if mishandled. Diseses, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Fungal root rot is common in cold damp soils.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry | Very Dry
Available space
3 feet-6 feet; 6-feet-12 feet
Mature size
Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 11 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Silvery blue-green leaves, 1 inch wide by 3 feet long, strappy with finely toothed margins. Leaves are borne in dense rosettes with up to several hundred stiff linear (narrow) leaves. Medium green juvenile foliage matures into powder blue adult foliage.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower detail
Small, white, slightly fragrant flowers appear in mass in spring on a large 6- to 10-foot tall panicled stalk.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
The fruit capsules contain light-brown, spherical to oblong seeds. 3 lobed and somewhat inflated.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Northern and northeastern Mexico
Distribution
Southern Arizona
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden
Design feature
Accent; Mass Planting; Security; Small groups; Specimen