Herb: Sotol


Latin name: Dasylirion wheeleri


Family: Agavaceae (Century-plant Family)



Edible parts of Sotol:

The central part of the plant can be cooked and eaten. The crown of the plant was baked by the native North American Indians then dried, pounded into a powder and made into cakes. They would also peel the baked crown, crush it, mix it with water then ferment it and use it as a beverage. The flowering stems can be roasted, boiled or eaten raw. The trunk is rich in sugar, the pith can be used to make the alcoholic beverage "sotol".

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
August to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Dry rocky hillsides of the upper desert area in Mexico.

Other uses of Sotol:

The leaves are used in thatching, basket making, weaving into hats, mats etc.

Propagation of the herb:

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 of Sotol:

Dry rocky hillsides of the upper desert area in Mexico.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Dasylirion wheeleri:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.