Dasylirion longissimum - dasilirio (25 cm low vase)

Genus composed of about twenty species of very long-lived evergreen shrub or tree succulents, with rosette leaves arranged around the tips, similar to yucca, which grow in the dry mountainous regions and deserts of the southern United States and Mexico. Different species, varieties and forms belong to the Dasylirion longissimum group and the systematics are still being defined with recent new discoveries associated with this entity. Dasylirion longissimum is an arboreal succulent with a generally solitary or sometimes branched trunk up to 2.5-3 m tall. The leaves arranged in a rosette around the apex are long, thin and arched, olive green in colour. The peculiar characteristic of this group is the absence of thorns from the leaves. After 25-30 years it produces an inflorescence up to 2.5-3-5 m long from the apex with numerous flowers. After flowering the plant does not die. In nature, centuries-old plants can reach 3-4 m in height.

Pedoclimatic needs

Grow in poor, well-drained soil, in full sun. Fairly rustic species, it resists short frosts down to -10°/-12°c. Due to the elegance and harmony of the rosettes, these plants are widely used in parks and gardens. Being very drought-resistant plants, they can be used to decorate flowerbeds and gardens without water.

Botanical Information

Botanical Name: Dasylirion longissimum

Family: Nolinaceae