Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens
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| Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens |
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| Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens Not Cactus Since It Grows True Leaves | Spiny Stems With bundles Of Seasonal Leaves At Each Spine |
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| Fouquieriaceae (ocotillo family) | Ocotillo Flowers Close Up |
Ocotillo The Ocotillo is also called Coachwhip, Candlewood, Candleweed, Slimewood or Devil’s Coachwhip. The Ocotillo often is mistaken for a cactus because of the spines covering its branches. But these spines are actually the stems of the plant’s first leaves, and since true cacti don’t have leaves, the ocotillo is not a cactus. It is a close relative of the Boojum tree (Idria columnaris) which is native to isolated areas of Baja California and Sonora, Mexico.
The Ocotillo does not store a great deal of water, but instead it has adapted over centuries to adapt to times when it does not have water available. The ocotillo only grows leaves after a rain, and then when the ground is dry again, the Ocotillo drops it's leaves. These oval, 2-inch leaves grow in bunches above the spines. Their waxy coating helps protect them from losing moisture. When the leaves drop off, and the scaly green bark turns wood brown, Nothing but spines are left behind to adorn the branches. Ocotillo bloom in the spring, the flowers are very dependent on moist soil to survive. The bright red flowers, about an inch in length, grow in bunches on the ends of the stems. They contain nectar that attracts many local and migratory hummingbirds.
Height: Up To About 15' - 20' Tall. |