We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Gardening

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Desert Spoon?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 11,800
Share

Desert spoon is a flowering plant native to the American Southwest and found across Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. This plant prefers arid conditions and is grown ornamentally in desert and low-water gardens. In nature, it can grow extremely large, sometimes exceeding 15 feet (about 4.5 meters) in height, while gardeners tend to keep it pruned and compact. Nurseries and garden supply stores specializing in succulents and other drought-tolerant plants may carry desert spoon, or can order it by request.

Known formally as Dasylirion wheeleri, this plant is also sometimes referred to by common names like sotol, blue sotol, and common sotol. It produces a symmetrical sphere of spiky leaves fanning out from a central trunk. The foliage tends to be stiff, but has some flexibility. In young plants, the leaves can take the shape of a half-dome until the trunk develops more length. Flowers are produced on tall stalks in dense creamy white clusters that appeal to bees.

This plant can be readily grown from seed. Desert spoon gets quite large under good growing conditions and it should be planted with care, as the trunks can tend to grow sideways rather than upright and the plants may splay across the landscape. It can be a good specimen or background planting in the garden and is not suitable for edges and borders unless gardeners are willing to clip it aggressively to keep it small.

Dry climates in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) zones eight through 11 are generally suitable for growing desert spoon. The plant likes well-drained soil of medium quality and does not tend to attract pests, although in addition to bees, other insects can hover around the plant while it is in flower. Other succulents make excellent companion plantings, as do cacti, and the plant can also be used in rock gardens to add greenery and color.

People sometimes mistake desert spoon for yucca and other relatives. The plant's blue-green foliage and spoon-shaped leaf bases are important visual clues for accurate identification. This plant has historically been used to produce a drink known as sotol, made by removing and roasting the core of the plant and then fermenting it. Desert spoon is also edible; the fleshy base at the bottom of each leaf is palatable after steaming, boiling, or roasting and can be eaten plain or added to other dishes, depending on the taste of the cook.

Share
HomeQuestionsAnswered is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a HomeQuestionsAnswered researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments
By anon1003626 — On Aug 03, 2020

Can Desert Spoon grow in a large pot?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.homequestionsanswered.com/what-is-a-desert-spoon.htm
Copy this link
HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.