Dasylirion serratifolium aka Sandpaper Sotol

Dasylirion serratifolium, or sandpaper sotol, is an evergreen shrub from Mexico. It belongs to the asparagus family, Asparagaceae. It grows on dry, rocky slopes and in scrub woodland. Records place it in Hidalgo and Oaxaca. Its dense crown forms a rounded mound of narrow leaves. This bold shape suits gravel beds, courtyards, and large pots.

Garden plants reach about 3.3–4.9 feet (1–1.5 m) tall. They spread about 1.6–3.3 feet (0.5–1 m) wide. Other accounts describe crowns reaching 6.6 feet (2 m) across. Older plants may develop trunks 6.6 feet (2 m) long. Young plants can lack a clear trunk. With age, a short, thick, woody stem supports the crown. Old leaves cling around it. The blue-green to grey-green leaves feel rough. Each leaf can reach about 3.3 feet (1 m) long. Hooked teeth line the edges, and the tips form brush-like tufts.

Small white or cream flowers open in summer. In its native range, flowering runs from June to July. The flowers grow on stalks about 6.6–13.1 feet (2–4 m) tall. Bees and other insects visit them. Small, rounded fruits follow, with broad wings around each fruit. Each holds one seed. The tall flower stems rise well above the leaf crown.

Give this plant full sun and soil that drains well. It suits a hot, sheltered spot where frost does not occur. The RHS rates it H2, so it cannot withstand freezing. In colder places, grow it under glass with low humidity. Potted plants can spend summer outdoors. Water well during growth, but cut back in winter. Feed monthly from early spring through autumn. The plant tolerates drought once grown in suitable conditions. The RHS lists chalk, loam, and sand as suitable soils. It accepts acid, neutral, or alkaline soil. Plants take about five to ten years to mature.

Its strong outline adds structure to coastal and sheltered gardens. It needs no routine pruning. Scale insects may attack it, though disease problems are uncommon. The leaf teeth present a clear handling hazard. Useful Tropical Plants reports no known toxic hazards. It records cooked trunk pith and leaf bases as food. People roast or boil the trimmed heads before eating them. Roasted trunks also provide material for making the spirit sotol. The same source records no known medicinal use.