Texas Sotol Plant in the Northeast Mountains
Planta Sotol de Texas en las montañas noreste

Texas Sotol Plant in the Northeast Mountains

Texas sotol has light green leaves, a short trunk, and spectacular flower stalks from 9 to 15 feet tall. The slender individual leaves are under 1/2 inch wide and barely 3 feet long, spreading from a central trunk that is sometimes partially buried underground. It grows in arid, rocky limestone habitats in the Trans-Pecos, Edwards Plateau, and into Mexico. The dioecious flowers (male and female on separate plants) appear from May to August, attracting hummingbirds when they are mature. The leaves have dangerously sharp spines or teeth along their margins, so they must be planted away from pedestrian areas unless they are used for security barriers. Like all dasylirions, they need well-drained soil and full sun to thrive, and are very drought and heat tolerant. Texas sotols are highly ornamental landscape plants, as accents, massed as large focal points, or in pots. Throughout history Sotols have provided man with material for structures, roofs, baskets, mats, ropes, food and even liquor ("sotol"). They also provide fodder for cattle during droughts. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/nativeshrubs/dasyliriontexan.htm

Area: Northeast / Franklin Mountains

Source: EPMH

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

Cliff Dwelling

Diorama at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.

Rabit at the Moon

From Walking with our Ancestors Exhibit, El Paso Museum of ...

Franklin Mountains

Yellow poppies in front of the Franklin Mountains.

Sunrise Over the Franklin Mountains

Sunrise over the Franklin Mountains ---view from Upper Valley.

Prehistoric Hunter

Diorama at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.

View of the Foothills of Franklin Mountains

View of the foothills of the Franklin Mountains from Chihuahuan ...

El Paso Archaeology Museum

Rest area and information plaque at the El Paso Archaeology ...

Poppy blooms

Poppies in the Franklin Mountains.

Poppies

Poppies blooming in the Franklin Mountains.

Franklin Mountains

Franklin Mountains in the background.

El Paso Archaeology Museum

Directional sign for the Poppy Trail at the El Paso Archaeology ...

Cactus flowers

Cactus blooming near the Archaeology Museum.

Franklin Mountains

Landscape near the Museum.

Youth Dancers

Youth dancers performing in the Franklin Mountains.

home.search_collection