Nolina with twisted/curled ends.

[Meangreen94z]

I have “Nolina matapensis” of three variations. One was a locally grown green form from seed by a CSS member, another variant has bluish green leaves from Mountain States Wholesale Nursery last year, and now I have another variant that a local nursery sourced from Mountain States this year. It’s green with twisted brown terminating points. It looks similar to a larger Nolina I bought 5 years ago listed as nelsonii but green, and obviously not. I see no reference pictures in habitat or elsewhere of matapensis having these. Any ideas on species ?

IMG_5275.jpeg (496.32 KiB) Viewed 106 times

[Paul S]

I have a couple of nolinas bought as Nolina beldingii that have wide, green leaves that end with tufts just like that. Not seen anything to dispute the label as yet but there is always a question mark.

I also have an undescribed trunkless species from Mexico that I grew from seed that looks just like a young version of these others but I guess it is unlikely to be that.

[Paul S]

Picture today of the smaller one, around1ft of trunk, which still has quite pronounced curly ends:

20260601_090006.jpg (448.57 KiB) Viewed 85 times

And the larger one, with around 3ft of trunk and which has pretty much lost the curl, next to my Yucca filifera. My #2 Nolina nelsonii to the left. Had this one a long time, maybe 25 years.

20260601_085828.jpg (432.69 KiB) Viewed 85 times

[Meangreen94z]

Thank you. I always enjoy looking at your yard. Were these sourced through someone you trusted on identification ? I guess that’s the downside to Nolina , once you take them out of habitat they are tricky to identify. Outside a few distinct species.

[Paul S]

Both little and large were grown from seed by different people in different decades, which I guess adds some weight to the name of the seeds they bought. Or perhaps there is someone who has spent the last 30 years wandering around the USA collecting, randomly naming and selling nolina seed - difficult to know for sure! But, yes, the only ones I am 100% certain of are those I collected myself.

[Fairview]

I have “Nolina matapensis” of three variations. One was locally grown green form from seed by a CSS member, another variant has bluish green leaves from Mountain States Wholesale Nursery last year, and now I have another variant that a local nursery sourced from Mountain States this year. It’s green with twisted brown terminating points. It looks similar to a larger Nolina I bought 5 years ago listed as nelsonii but green and obviously not. I see no reference pictures in habitat or elsewhere of matapensis having these. Any ideas on species ?
IMG_5275.jpeg

Looks identical to my N microcarpa. Of course that's only as good as the grower ability to know what they have.

[Meangreen94z]

I have “Nolina matapensis” of three variations. One was locally grown green form from seed by a CSS member, another variant has bluish green leaves from Mountain States Wholesale Nursery last year, and now I have another variant that a local nursery sourced from Mountain States this year. It’s green with twisted brown terminating points. It looks similar to a larger Nolina I bought 5 years ago listed as nelsonii but green and obviously not. I see no reference pictures in habitat or elsewhere of matapensis having these. Any ideas on species ?
IMG_5275.jpeg

Looks identical to my N microcarpa. Of course that's only as good as the grower ability to know what they have.

Thanks. I have a microcarpa as well, these leaves are a bit wider. Hard to tell from the picture. They also usually cluster.