Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southwestern United States, Mexico
India, Nepal, China
Types
Common sotol, Bear Grass, Common Sotol, Desert Spoon
Betula utilis
Number of Varieties
-2
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Lower slopes
Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-155-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
7-5
Sunset Zone
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Rosette/Stemless
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
270.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Tan, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Blue Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Rosette
Cordiform
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial 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
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
-
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Paper pulp, Pulp can be used to make rope place mats and other goods
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
DASYLIRION texanum
BETULA utilis
Common Name
Common sotol, Bear Grass, Common Sotol, Desert Spoon
Himalayan Birch
In Hindi
sotol
हिमालय सन्टी
In German
Dasylirion texanum
Himalaya-Birke
In French
sotol
bouleau de l'Himalaya
In Spanish
sotol
abedul del Himalaya
In Greek
sotol
Himalayan σημύδας
In Portuguese
sotol
bétula Himalaia
In Polish
sotol
Himalayan brzoza
In Latin
sotol
Birch Himalayan
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Liliales
Fagales
Family
Liliaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Dasylirion
Betula
Clade
Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nolinoideae
-
Number of Species
30030
1
27800
👆🏻