trefle.io · Taken Jul 4, 2022 by Christine Cox (cc-by-sa)
Melanthiaceae
Bear-grass
Xerophyllum tenax
Also known as Turkey beard, Helonias tenax, Melanthium spicatum, Xerophyllum douglasii
Flowering Plants · Native Plants · Bear-Grass · Native · Mountain Plant · Ornamental Grass · Wildflower · White Flower · Drought Tolerant · Western Native · Perennial · Melanthiaceae
Bear-grass is a striking native perennial from western mountain landscapes, forming dramatic clumps of tough, grass-like foliage topped by tall white flower plumes. It requires excellent drainage and is best suited to open, sunny or partly shaded sites with lean, rocky, or sandy soils. Bear-grass is slow to establish but very long-lived once settled, and it blooms spectacularly every several years.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 5 hours
- Watering
- Water moderately; allow soil to dry slightly between waterings as roots are adapted to well-drained mountain soils · Every 10-14 days once established
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.2
- Temperature
- -25°F to 95°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed
Hardiness
USDA 4b-9b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 20 ft – 40 ft
- Spread
- 20 ft
- Spacing
- 36 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- White
- Foliage
- Green · Fine
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Alberta, British Columbia, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies, Moths
Sources: trefle, usda
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