Devil's Shoestring
Nolina lindheimerianaAlso called Nolina
Devil's Shoestring is a succulent native to the Texas Hill Country that grows 10–12 ft tall and 4–5 ft wide. It wants full sun or part shade and low water, and handles caliche and clay soil. Blooms white in Apr–Jun. Evergreen — it holds its leaves through winter. Deer rarely browse it. Good for bees, birds and butterflies.
Caution — livestock. Blooms toxic to sheep and goats.
Will it grow in your yard?
Enter your ZIP. The finder checks Devil's Shoestring against your microclimate, then ranks it against your sun, your watering and deer pressure.
From our guide
Village of the HillsEvergreen clump of narrow arching grasslike leaves with tall flower stalks.
Why it works here
Evergreen fountain of texture on bare limestone, and deer ignore it completely.
Watch out
Leaf edges are finely serrated — genuinely sharp. Very slow to reach size.
The facts
6 sources- Type
- Succulent
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade (3+ hrs)
- Water
- Low
- Height
- 10–12 ft
- Spread
- 4–5 ft
- Bloom
- Apr–Jun · white
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Soil
- Takes caliche and clay · recorded on calcareous, dry, limestone, rocky, sand
- Deer
- High — deer rarely browse it. Tough serrated leaves; ignored.
- Wildlife
- Supports bees, birds and butterflies
Where it grows
Recorded in these EPA Level IV ecoregions in the Austin and Hill Country launch area:
681 occurrence records in Central Texas (GBIF).
Can you buy it?
In the Village of the Hills guide, but not on the grower stock lists we read yet. Ask a native-plant nursery.