"nolina greenei" grows in rocky locations such as limestone outcrops and old lava flows, often in grasslands or in pine-oak woodlands at elevations of 1200–2000 m. it is a perennial rosette forming plant with an underground caudex. leaves are long and narrow, sometimes over 100 cm long but rarely more than 1 cm wide. they sometimes have sharp teeth along the margins. flowering stalk is up to 20 cm high, with a large panicle of white flowers with purple midveins. fruit is a dry, inflated capsule up to 5 mm across.