Common sotol
The sotol plant blooms only once in its lifetime – but with an inflorescence so large it can grow straight through the roof.
The leaves of the common sotol have a characteristic toothed edge, almost reminiscent of a bread knife. This probably serves to discourage desert animals from eating the leaves and the tip of the shoot.
The sotol plant is related to agave, and like most agaves, it blooms only once in its lifetime. In return, the inflorescence is enormous. In 2015, the common sotol plant flourished in the Prince of Wales Conservatory in Kew Gardens, London. The flower-bearing stalk grew up to 50 cm a day.
Therefore it did not take long before the staff had to remove one of the panes above the plant in the 6 m tall greenhouse. Then the plant put its inflorescence out through the roof and bloomed in the open air.
In northern Mexico, the plant is used to produce sotol, a spirit very similar to tequila, hence the name of the plant.
Fact box:
- Greenhouse location: The Dessert House
- Danish name: Common sotol
- Latin name: Dasylirion wheeleri
- Family: Asparagus family / Asparagaceae
- Natural habitat: Northern Mexico and the southwestern USA