Botanical Name: Dasylirion wheeleri
Common Name: Sotol, Desert spoon
Type of Plant: monocot: perennial

Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape a rounded clump of narrow, twisting, spine-edged leaves; the plant will produce a trunk with age; the trunk may be erect or reclining
Height to 5'
Spread to 5'
Growth Rate slow
 
Environment:
Exposure outdoors full sun preferred; tolerates light shade in inland areas
Soil requires a soil with excellent drainage
Hardiness hardy; zones 10-24 – thrives in hot, inland areas
 
Morphology:
Leaves blue-gray to gray leaves 1" wide; up to 45" long with stout spines on the margins; the upper half of the leaf is often twisted
Flowers tall spikes of creamy white flowers up to 10 ft.; individual flowers are up to 1/4" across; produced in summer only by older plants
Fruit 3-winged samara
 
Propagation:
seed
 
Usage:
widely used in desert landscapes as a secondary accent for its dramatic form and fine leaf texture; good for grayish color and tolerance of extreme heat, drought and poor soils
 
Landscape Care:
Watering tolerates much drought once established, but grows faster with summer watering
Fertilizing none
Pruning remove spent flower spikes; plants do not die after flowering
Pests/Diseases root rot where drainage is poor
Special Conditions/Other base of leaves flare out to create “spoon” shape
 
Origin: Arizona, New Mexico and Texas
Family: Liliaceae

Notes:
 
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