Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Melanesia, Australia
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Umbrella plant
Amate
Common sotol, Bear Grass, Common Sotol, Desert Spoon
Number of Varieties
1000-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
Desert, Lower slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1512-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm270.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Red, Purple
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple
Green, Blue Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Rosette
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
Needs very little water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Dermititis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaves
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Paper pulp, Pulp can be used to make rope place mats and other goods
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
DASYLIRION texanum
Common Name
Octopus Tree
Common sotol, Bear Grass, Common Sotol, Desert Spoon
In Hindi
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
sotol
In German
Octopus tree
Dasylirion texanum
In French
arbre Octopus
sotol
In Spanish
árbol pulpo
sotol
In Greek
χταπόδι δέντρο
sotol
In Portuguese
Octopus árvore
sotol
In Polish
Ośmiornica drzewo
sotol
In Latin
polypus ligno
sotol
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Apiales
Liliales
Family
Araliaceae
Liliaceae
Genus
Schefflera
Dasylirion
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Aralioideae
Nolinoideae
Number of Species
15300
1
27800
👆🏻