Ocotillo
Fouquieria splendens
Latin Name: Fouquieria splendens
Common Name: Ocotillo
Native Distribution: Chihuahuan, Mohave & Sonoran Deserts
Size: Up to 15’h x 10’w
Flower: Bright red tubular flowers clustered on branch tips in Spring
Foliage: Green leaves 1” x 1/2” punctuated with 1” spines
Site Preferences: Full sun in well-drained soil
Landscape Uses: Striking form is especially highlighted against a blank wall; keep it away from sidewalks and walkways; planted close together, Ocotillo can become an impenetrable fence
Plant Characteristics
Drought deciduous
Slow growth rate
Leaves drop at least twice a year
Attracts hummingbirds
Tolerates long periods of drought
Transplants take years to leaf out
Cold hardy to 10f
Always prune from the base of the plant
Often blooms before leaves emerge