Dasylirion quadrangulatum

Dasylirion quadrangulatum

This is not the hardiest of the Dasylirions we can grow in the UK, supposedly withstanding -9c or more in very dry conditions or without snow ice settling in the crown, but it is certainly the most striking. It is also the 'friendliest' of the genus having no hooked barb shaped spikes on the leaves, like the other species in the genus. Instead of the flat leaves of other Dasylirions this species has square shaped leaves with smooth edges.

In the wild in northern Mexico it can make a 5m tall tree with multiple heads of foliage. The plant branches after producing its 7m tall flower which appears as a spike covered in hundreds of tiny individual flowers. Although this plant should be hardy enough in all but the most northern parts of the UK it needs as much sun as we can give it. Being used to desert conditions this plant needs intense sunlight and heat it will grow more slowly here than in the wild, even in strong sun, so care not to give it any shade is as much of a concern as winter wet or low temperatures.

Photo courtesy of Serialplantfetishist on flickr.com, see their link on our Resources Page.

Dasylirion quadrangulatum growing in the Wild in Mexico.

These are the huge flower spikes after the hundreds of individual flowers have died, the spike then dries out and falls off, and the trunk forks making a new branch.

Photo courtesy of Paul Spraklin