Dasylirion wheeleri
| Dasylirion wheeleri | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 5' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Dasylirion wheeleri (common name: sotol)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cultivation: Requires a very well-drained soil in a sheltered sunny position[1].
This species is not very cold hardy, and is said to require a minimum winter temperature of 10°c[1], However, plants can survive outdoors in the very mildest areas of Britain if given some protection such as a south facing wall and a suitable soil[K].
Plants are sometimes used in sub-tropical bedding schemes in Britain.
Range: South-western N. America - Arizona to Texas and Mexico.
Habitat: Dry rocky hillsides of the upper desert area in Mexico.
Edibility: The central part of the plant can be cooked and eaten[2]. The crown of the plant was baked by the native North American Indians then dried, pounded into a powder and made into cakes[3]. They would also peel the baked crown, crush it, mix it with water then ferment it and use it as a beverage[3].
The flowering stems can be roasted, boiled or eaten raw[3].
The trunk is rich in sugar, the pith can be used to make the alcoholic beverage 'sotol'[2].
Usage: The leaves are used in thatching, basket making, weaving into hats, mats etc[3].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Dioecious
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.