Beargrass

 Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax) is a member of the lily family, not a grass, and bears don’t actually like it either! This perennial plant with light olive-green leaves grows up to two and a half feet tall and is an important plant for pollinators.

In the Northern Rockies it blooms from late May to early August depending on elevation. Elk and deer like eating the stalks, as do mountain goats and bighorn sheep. Native Americans used the leaves for weaving baskets, roasted and ate the underground stems, and used its fibers for clothing.