Common Name: Peyote

General Information

Dioon sonorense is a slow-growing, evergreen, palm-like plant with an erect, unbranched main stem that can eventually be around 30 - 90cm tall (exceptionally up to 150cm), and 22 - 25cm in diameter; this is topped by a crown of numerous, upright large leaves each around 100cm long. The plant sometimes produces suckers at the base to form a clump[].
The plant has been harvested in the past for the starch from its stems, which has been used to make a sort of tequila[].
Dioon sonorense has a small population and it is believd that this will have declined by more than 50% in a period covering the pastr 50 years plus the next 25 years.. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southwest N. America - northwest Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa)

Habitat

High desert to oak woodland, usually on steep canyon walls or hillsides in extremely dry conditions; at elevations from 615 - 1,200 metres[] . Plants also occur in the transition zone between oak-pine forest and tropical deciduous thorn forest.

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.50 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Weevils
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Dioon sonorense is native to the arid and semi-arid regions of northwest Mexico, growing in a region where the mean annual rainfall is around 250 - 500mm, falling mainly in the summer[]. In cultivation it is known to withstand several degrees of frost without damage[].
Most species of Dioon are easily cultivated and grow with minimal care[].
The stems of Dioon species are clothed in a thick armour of old leaf bases that protect them from the frequent fires that pass through their habitat. Their trunks are also clothed in a thick layer of dense, wooly hairs which persist and give protection until burned off[].
Species in this genus form structures known as coralloid roots. These roots branch off from the taproot or secondary roots and are distinctive in that they grow laterally or upward, forming a nodular mass at the apex. These coralloid roots occur slightly below or slightly above the soil surface and generally contain cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. These are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen and make it available as a nutrient to the plant. The ability to extract this important nutrient from the air explains how many cycad species are able to survive on almost sterile soils[].
A dioecious species, with individual plants producing either all male or all female cones. Therefore both male and female forms of the plant need to be grown if seed is required[].
Female plants only produce one seed cone at each reproductive cycle, which generally occurs once every three to four years. This cone can take more than one year to mature[]. The ovoid cones of this species are 35 - 50cm long and 20 - 27cm in diameter, covered with a dense layer of short woolly hairs. They can weigh up to 18 kilos[].

Edible Uses

Starch obtained from the stems has been used in the production of an alcoholic beverage similar to tequila[].

The seeds are around 28 - 32mm long and 23 - 25mm in diameter[].

Cycads have often been used traditionally as a source of food starch, obtained either from the seeds or from the stems, and it is probable that the seed kernels and stem pith of all cycads can be used as food after treatment to remove any toxic principle that may be present (See notes above on toxicity). The starch would appear to be of particular importance as a source of sustenance during hard times or in areas where the food supply is naturally limited[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - surface sow on damp sand at a temperature of 24 - 32°c[]. On emergence of the radicle, pot the seedling into its own pot of a sandy compost and grow on in shaded warm conditions[]. Avoid any damage to the taproot and coralloid roots when repotting. Repot and feed frequently to encourage development and plant out when whorls of leaves are being produced, which can be 4 - 8 years[].

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