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Dasylirion glaucophyllum - Sotol

Dasylirion glaucophyllum
Sotol

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A very beautiful species that impresses with its long, stiff leaves, of a glaucous green colour, forming like a giant sea urchin carried by a small trunk 50 cm (19.7 in) high. The plant takes on its full dimension when it blooms, after several years: from the centre of the rosette emerges an immense, slender, vertical floral stem, adorned with small yellow flowers. The Dasylirion glaucophyllum is also characterised by the numerous pale and curved spines that border its leaves and by a sort of terminal bud. Perfectly adapted to a dry and hot climate, its growth will be faster if the soil remains moist in summer. Its cold resistance is honorable: -15°C (5 °F) in dry soil. On the other hand, a wet soil in winter can cause the plant to die as soon as we reach the threshold of -8/-10°C (17.6/14 °F).
Flower size
1 cm
Height at maturity
2 m
Spread at maturity
1.50 m
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -12°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil
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Best planting time March to April, September
Recommended planting time March to May, September to October
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Flowering time June to August
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Description

Dasylirion glaucophyllum is a persistent tree-like plant that is quite spectacular, related to yuccas and agaves. Its remarkably architectural silhouette, the way light plays through its spherical crown bristling with thin, long, very stiff leaves bordered with white spines, truly impacts a mineral, dry garden, or even the terrace or patio when placed in a jar. This fascinating plant creature bears at the top of a short trunk a kind of giant sea urchin of a beautiful glaucous green colour, a little greener in the centre. Mature specimens flower in a spectacular way, in the form of a huge floral spike that can exceed 4m (13 ft 1 in) in height. It is an easy plant to grow in arid, poor, even limestone soil. Its hardiness depends mainly on soil drainage.

 

Native to rocky hills and mountainous areas in northern Mexico, Arizona, and Texas, the Dasylirion glaucophyllum is able to withstand temperatures of around -8°C/-10°C (14 °F) in well-drained soil in our French gardens subject to winter rains, even more in dry soil, and tolerates long periods of summer drought. It is a rhizomatous plant belonging to the agave family, slow-growing in dry soil, faster in moist soil, reaching a height of 2m (6 ft 7 in) outside of flowering. When young, the Dasylirion forms a hairy, very dense ball. After many years, it can form a trunk up to 50cm (19.7 in) in height. This trunk bears a large spherical crown, 1.20m (3 ft 11 in) to 1.80m (5 ft 11 in) wide, composed of several hundred radiating leaves, 60cm (23.6 in) to 90cm (35.4 in) long and 2.5cm (1 in) wide, stiff. They are bordered with white, curved spines, among which are arranged numerous tiny spines. The leaves are leathery, glaucous green, folded at their ends into a kind of small button. Flowering occurs after 10 to 15 years of cultivation, in summer. A slender upright floral spike emerges from the centre of the rosette, among the leaves. The small yellowish flowers are densely packed along the slender spike and remain on the plant for a long time, often until winter. Male plants are distinct from female plants. When watered during the summer, this Dasylirion shows spectacular growth. Careful consideration should be given to the location of this plant and it should no longer be disturbed: its fragile root system does not like to be disturbed at all and does not tolerate transplantation very well.

 

Dasylirion glaucophyllum requires a lot of sun and very well-drained soil, even poor and dry soil but does not tolerate waterlogged soils in winter. It is perfect on a large dry slope, at the top of a large exotic or contemporary rockery, or even near a swimming pool, if the slightly elevated soil is well prepared to accommodate it. This large plant will simply be magnificent when planted on its own, accompanied by a carpet of cistus, Cerastostigma plumbaginoides, Delosperma, or even a short grass meadow called Zoyzia tenuifolia, the Mascarene grass. It can also be paired with Yucca rigida, Nolina, agaves, prickly pears that are quite hardy (Cleistocactus strausii, Cylindropuntia imbricata), and equally spectacular and frugal shrubby aloes. It is well adapted to container cultivation, which allows it to be protected from cold and humidity in winter.

Dasylirion glaucophyllum - Sotol in pictures

Dasylirion glaucophyllum - Sotol (Foliage) Foliage
Dasylirion glaucophyllum - Sotol (Plant habit) Plant habit

Plant habit

Height at maturity 2 m
Spread at maturity 1.50 m
Habit stalk
Growth rate slow

Flowering

Flower colour yellow
Flowering time June to August
Inflorescence Spike
Flower size 1 cm

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour green

Botanical data

Genus

Dasylirion

Species

glaucophyllum

Family

Agavaceae (Asparagaceae)

Other common names

Sotol

Origin

North America

Product reference832901

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Planting and care

If you want to plant a Dasylirion glaucophyllum, it's best to do it in the spring in a sunny and sheltered spot. If your garden is in a borderline hardiness zone, plant it in a location with a lot of sun. A mature specimen of this plant can withstand brief frosts of around -8/-10°C (17.6/14°F) in ordinary soil and up to -15°C (5°F) in well-drained soil that remains dry in winter. The plant's growth is slow but can be boosted by giving it generous, spaced watering in the summer and providing fertile soil. If you live in a mild climate, autumn planting is preferable, especially in a hot and dry area during the summer.

When transplanting this plant, taking precautions is essential to avoid damaging the root ball. Make sure to remove it with care, as the roots can be delicate. If the roots are damaged during transplantation, the plant may die. This species doesn't do well in heavy and clayey soils and is sensitive to humidity, especially when combined with cold. Therefore, it's best to plant it in a well-drained soil. Ideal locations include large rockeries, slopes, raised beds with gravel and sand-enriched soil, or rocky embankments. The plant is not picky about soil pH and can tolerate poor soil. However, growth will be slightly faster in somewhat fertile soil.

During the first two years, monitoring the watering is crucial, especially during hot and dry periods. Faded stems should be removed regularly.

If your dasylirion is not flowering, it is probably too young or has only been planted in your garden for 3 or 4 years. This plant takes time to establish itself and only flowers after 10 to 15 years, mainly in warmer areas. Depending on the sunlight and climate, it will flower every year or two or three years. If the plant benefits from automated drip irrigation in summer, its growth will be boosted and 5-year-old rosettes will be able to flower.

Multiplication:

By sowing in spring.

Planting period

Best planting time March to April, September
Recommended planting time March to May, September to October

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Rockery
Type of use Border, Container, Slope, Greenhouse
Hardiness Hardy down to -12°C (USDA zone 8a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Chalky (poor, alkaline and well-drained), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Well-drained soil

Care

Pruning instructions Remove the faded stalks.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time August
Soil moisture Dry soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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