Dasylirion wheeleri

General Information
Group: Monocot
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Shrub

Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Monocotyledons
Order: Asparagalus
Family: Asparagaceae
Genus: Dasylirion – Sotol
Species: Wheeleri – Common sotol

Native Range
Texas, Arizona, New Mexico

Additional Information

• Leaves can be woven into mats and baskets
• Flower grows as a single tall stem with thousands of small flowers in a long, narrow cluster that attracts many pollinators
• Saw-like spines on leaves
• Color of flower determines gender of plant: white for males and pink for females (mostly)
• Inner core used to make alcoholic drink of the same name

Location at Albuquerque Academy
Along path, north of Natatorium; Science courtyard

Sources and More Information
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=DAWH2
https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=DAWH2
https://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101561
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasylirion_wheeleri