Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Bear Grass
Bear Grass is a desert native from Arizona and the Southwest. It forms a big clump of slender, leathery green leaves, about 3 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide. The leaf tips fray into curly white threads. Tall stalks of small creamy flowers rise above the clump in late spring and summer. It grows in full sun or part shade, handles cold to about -10°F and needs little water once rooted. Use it as a bold grassy accent in a desert yard.
Best for: a bold grassy accent in desert yards, pool and patio edges, native plantings, and spots with sun or part shade.
It forms a clump about 3 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide. The fine leaves with curly white tips make a bold accent in a desert yard.
It is a clean accent around pools, ponds and patios. Plant it where the fine leaves can arch freely, about 8 to 12 feet from other large plants.
It grows in full sun or part shade. In the hottest spots, a little afternoon shade eases summer stress. Once rooted, a deep soak once or twice a month in summer is enough.
Give it room, about 8 to 12 feet between plants, since the clump spreads wide. It needs soil that drains well. The leaf edges are finely toothed.
- Plant to plant8-12 ft apart, center to center
- Mass planting8-12 ft apart, center to center
Water about every 7 to 10 days for the first couple of years while it roots. Let the water soak in deeply each time.
Once rooted, give a deep soak once or twice a month in summer. It needs little water the rest of the year.
No pruning is needed. For a neater look, remove old dried leaves and cut off old flower stalks.
It takes full sun, but in the hottest spots a bit of afternoon shade eases summer stress.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is Bear Grass a real grass?
No. It is a grass-like plant, not a true grass, forming a clump of long, narrow, leathery leaves. Treat it like a desert shrub, not a lawn grass.
Is Bear Grass native to Arizona?
Yes. It grows wild in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts of Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico, so it fits native plantings.
How big does Bear Grass get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide, and flower stalks rise a few feet above the clump. Give it that much room.
How far apart should I plant Bear Grass?
Plant it about 8 to 12 feet apart center to center so each clump has room to spread. The Spacing tab shows the numbers.
What are the curly white threads on the leaves?
The leaf tips fray into white curls. It is normal, so leave them.
Can I plant Bear Grass by the pool?
Yes. It is used as a clean accent around pools, ponds and patios. Keep it in soil that drains well.
When does Bear Grass bloom?
It blooms in late spring and summer, on tall stalks of small creamy to greenish flowers. Cut the old stalks off afterward if you want a tidier look.
How often should I water Bear Grass?
Water new plants about every 7 to 10 days for the first couple of years. After that, give a deep soak once or twice a month in summer. Plant it in soil that drains well.
Does it need pruning?
No. If you want a tidier look, pull or cut out old dried leaves and cut off old flower stalks. Otherwise, leave it in its natural shape.
Can it grow in shade?
Yes. Plant it in full sun or part shade. In the hottest spots, some afternoon shade helps it through summer.
How cold hardy is Bear Grass?
It is very cold hardy. Most ratings put it at about -10°F, with some as low as -15°F, so it needs no frost cover in the Valley.
Can Bear Grass grow in a pot?
Yes. It does well in a container. Use a pot with a drainage hole, since it needs soil that drains well.
Bear Grass for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Bear Grass, Nolina microcarpa, is a desert native of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts. It is not a true grass but a grass-like plant that forms a large clump with curly white leaf tips. This page covers its size, spacing, bloom, watering and cold hardiness.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Is Bear Grass an Arizona native?
Yes. Nolina microcarpa grows wild in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts of Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico. It is a grass-like plant, not a true grass.
How big does Bear Grass get?
It forms a clump about 3 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide. Tall flower stalks rise above it in late spring and summer.
How far apart to plant Bear Grass
Plant it about 8 to 12 feet apart center to center. The clump spreads wide, so it needs the room.
Watering Bear Grass in the Valley
Once rooted, water about once or twice a month in summer. It grows in any desert soil that drains well.
Does Bear Grass grow in shade?
Yes. It grows in full sun or part shade, and it needs little water once rooted.
Bear Grass vs Tree Bear Grass
Bear Grass stays a low clump about 3 to 5 feet tall. Tree Bear Grass, from Mexico, slowly grows a trunk and reaches about 10 to 15 feet.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.