Mountain Nolina Plant Care

Mountain Nolina (Nolina erumpens) belongs to the Asparagaceae family within the Nolina genus. Mountain Nolina is native to New Mexico, Texas and adjacent regions of north Mexico.

Mountain Nolina displays a tall, slender trunk with a rosette of long, narrow leaves growth habit, reaching up to 6 ft tall with a spread of approximately 3 ft. Mountain Nolina produces produces panicles of small, creamy white flowers.

Leaf size: approximately 24 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Mountain Nolina every 14–21 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Mountain Nolina thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Nolina erumpens tolerates temperatures of 50–85°F. Mountain Nolina prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining sandy soil mix with added perlite for improved drainage. Good drainage is essential for Mountain Nolina to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Mountain Nolina every 8 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy soil mix with added perlite for improved drainage. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Mountain Nolina is suited to USDA Zone 7a – 10b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Mountain Nolina can spread to about 3 ft (0.9 m) and reach about 6 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 3 ft (0.9 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Mountain Nolina while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Mountain Nolina is hardy down to USDA zone 7a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Mountain Nolina can be propagated through seeds, offsets, division. Similar propagation techniques also apply to belding's beargrass plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Mountain Nolina is susceptible to spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Mountain Nolina grows outdoors in USDA Zone 7a – 10b. It survives winters down to planting zone 7a. Mountain Nolina is native to New Mexico, Texas and adjacent regions of north Mexico.