SafePlants

Dasylirion wheeleri (Desert Spoon, Sotol)

Dasylirion wheeleri, commonly known as Desert Spoon, Sotol, or Common Sotol, is a flowering plant well-adapted to arid environments.

Considerations for Pets

• The leaves are described as spine-clad.
• The leaves have barbed margins.

Considerations for Children

• The leaves are described as spine-clad.
• The leaves have barbed margins.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Dasylirion wheeleri S. Watson
• Common Names: Desert Spoon, Sotol, Common Sotol, Spoon Flower, Bear Grass, Desert Candle, Desert Sotol, Wheeler Sotol, Grey Sotol, Spoon Leaf
• Family: Agavaceae (also listed as Asparagaceae and Liliaceae in some classifications)
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Taxonomic Rank: Species
• Synonym: Sotol de desierto (Spanish)
• Subclass: Liliidae
• Order: Liliales
• Genus: Dasylirion Zucc.

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to arid environments of northern Mexico, specifically Chihuahua and Sonora.
• Also found in the southwestern United States, including Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
• Grows on canyon slopes of West Texas, New Mexico, and eastern Arizona at elevations of 2000 to 5000 feet.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Agave and yucca-like plant.
• Evergreen rosette plant.
• Long, spine-clad leaves that are spoon-like at the base.
• Thousands of tiny yellowish or greenish flowers are clustered on a towering flower stalk.

Ecological Role

• Common to find partially eaten sotol plants in desert environments.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Observed interactions with planthoppers (Oecleus).

Traditional Uses

• Can be treated similarly to Agaves for food and liquor production (sotol).
• Apache, Chiricahua &amp Mescalero tribes used it for food (beverage).

Resources and Further Information

• Discover Life
• Robert Sivinski (for questions regarding Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 license)
• Common Plants of Saguaro National Park at Lower Elevations for Environmental Education