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Field guide
Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)
Ricraider at English Wikipedia · Public domain

also Coachwhip

Ocotillo

Fouquieria splendens

Family:
Fouquieriaceae
Elevation:
1,000 ft – 5,000 ft
Bloom:
Mar – Jun
Region:
Southwest

A fan of long, thorny, whip-like canes that leaf out green after rain and go bare in drought, tipped in spring with brilliant crimson flame-shaped flower clusters. A signature silhouette of Sonoran and Chihuahuan hillsides and a hummingbird magnet.

Care · tuned to the Southwest

Water

Extremely drought tolerant once established; water deeply but infrequently the first year, then rely mostly on rainfall. It drops its leaves to survive dry spells and re-leafs within days of a monsoon soaking, so leaflessness is normal, not distress. Overwatering and poor drainage cause root and cane rot.

Sun & exposure

Full sun with excellent reflected-heat tolerance; performs best in the hottest, brightest exposures.

Soil

Demands sharp drainage; thrives in rocky, gravelly, alkaline, and caliche soils. Avoid rich or water-holding soils and never leave it in standing water.

In the Southwest

Hardy to roughly the mid-teens Fahrenheit once established. Bare-root transplants are slow to root; be patient establishing them. Canes are lined with stout spines. Flowers are an important early nectar source for hummingbirds and native bees.

Common problems & fixes

  • Transplant failure of bare-root plants — harvested canes often never leaf out and slowly die

    Fix — Buy container-grown or rooted plants, mist the base after planting, and be patient — leafing can take a season.

  • Looks dead when leafless — ocotillo is drought-deciduous and worries new owners

    Fix — Water occasionally in dry spells to trigger leaf flushes and confirm canes are still green and pliable.

Pets & toxicity

No known toxicity to pets; spines are the hazard.

Easy to confuse with

  • Boojum tree (Fouquieria columnaris) — thick tapering trunk rather than basal fan of canes
  • Crown-of-thorns and other spiny euphorbias — exude milky sap, unlike ocotillo

Sources

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