Cucharillo (Dasylirion sp)

Unlike the various Dasylirion species of northern Mexico, known as sotol, the cucharillo plants that grow in the arid hills and rocky terrain of Miahuatlán, Oaxaca, have a much more recent history of use for mezcal and spirits productions. The relationship between humans and the Dasylirion species in much of Mexico and the southwestern corner of the United States has for centuries paralleled that of agave. These plants have long been revered as a source for food, beverage, and fiber- with its particular functions being determined by a combination of ecological and sociocultural factors. However, in places where there has existed an abundance of sugar-rich agaves, Dasylirion has played a less extensive role. In Miahuatlán, parts of the Central Valleys, Sola de Vega, and the Mixteca, some villages maintain a beautiful tradition of weaving decorative pieces with the pencas-or leaves-which are presented ornamentally at weddings, large celebrations, and communal religious events.