Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Shrub
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade
Soil pH Preferences:	Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0) Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5) Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 8a -12.2 °C (10 °F) to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Plant Height:	Up to 20-30 feet
Plant Spread:	Up to 10-15 feet
Leaves:	Deciduous Broadleaf
Fruit:	Dehiscent Other: Contains many small, winged seeds
Fruiting Time:	Late spring or early summer
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Orange Red
Flower Time:	Late winter or early spring Other: Often associated with rainfall
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic
Uses:	Provides winter interest Will Naturalize
Resistances:	Drought tolerant
Containers:	Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous:	Tolerates poor soil With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth

Common names

Ocotillo
Jacob Cactus
Ocotillo de Corral
Candlewood
Devil's Walking Stick
Desert Coral

Photo Gallery

Location: San Matías, Baja California
Date: 2014-12-29

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: Arenas Valley, New Mexico
Date: 2014-06-07

Uploaded by plantmanager

Location: Arenas Valley, New Mexico
Date: 2013-09-13

Uploaded by plantmanager

Location: Font's Point, Anza Borrego
Date: 2024-05-11
Thick roots exposed by eroded sand

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Uploaded by plantmanager

Location: Arenas Valley, New Mexico my yard
Date: 2016-06-05

Uploaded by plantmanager

Location: Joshua Tree National Park, California
Date: 2015-03-21

Uploaded by Kelli

Uploaded by plantmanager

Location: Baja California
Date: 2018-02-15
Leafing out in midwinter

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Uploaded by Kelli

Location: Baja California
Date: 2018-08-08

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: Baja California
Date: 2010-04-01
Near Cataviña

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: Anza Borrego Desert, California
Date: 2012-03-18

Uploaded by wcgypsy

Uploaded by Kelli

Location: Gilbert, AZ
Date: August 2017
First leaves after planting bare root 3 weeks prior

Uploaded by LizDTM

Location: Desert Botanical Garden Phoenix, AZ
Date: 2024-04-08

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Uploaded by Anderwood

Location: Cataviña, Baja California
Date: 2017-12-30

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: Baja California
Date: 2016-02-27

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: Font's Point, Anza Borrego
Date: 2024-05-11
Exposed roots with peeling papery skin

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Location: My house
Date: 2021-07-05
Seedlings

Uploaded by Gardener2493

Location: San Diego, CA
Date: 2017-03-05
taken in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA

Uploaded by olga_batalov

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: Cataviña, Baja California
Date: 2017-12-30
Flowers at dusk

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2010-03-16
OUCH! This spine measures about 3 inches! Thought the close up of

Uploaded by AgaveGirl1

Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2012-02-20
early winter view of bare branches

Uploaded by AgaveGirl1

Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2013-04-17
close up

Uploaded by AgaveGirl1

Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2013-04-17
Yep...things DO get green out here. Photographed after several da

Uploaded by AgaveGirl1

Location: Mojave Desert, CA
Date: Apr 9, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Baja California
Date: 2018-07-28

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Uploaded by Kelli

Location: Gilbert, AZ
Date: July 2017
Planted bare root at this time.

Uploaded by LizDTM

Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Date: Apr 17, 2012

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Fort Worth Stockyards
Date: 2014-05-21

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by sedumzz

Date: 2002-08-04
Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by wcgypsy

Uploaded by wcgypsy

Uploaded by valleylynn

Location: Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Date: 2015-09-28

Uploaded by dave

Location: Desert Demonstration Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Date: October
photo by Stan Shebs

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: Arizona
Date: 2002-08-05
Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: Baja California
Date: 2016-04-07
Two different kinds of leaves

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: Southeast Florida
Date: June 2015

Uploaded by Dutchlady1

Location: San Tan Mountain Regional Park, AZ
Date: 2010-03-16
gives an idea of the height and I just thought the winter shadows

Uploaded by AgaveGirl1

Uploaded by wcgypsy

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by Baja_Costero (Baja California - Zone 11b) on May 6, 2016 7:29 PM concerning plant:

This strange-looking native of the SW US and northern Mexico (the dominant large plant in certain desert areas) can grow to the size of a house. The whip-like branches originate from a common stem (up to a foot or more wide in old age) and bear terminal red flowers. Large plants can look spectacular in bloom. Flowering is frequently associated with rainfall.

The leaves are deciduous, mostly depending on water availability. Stems are well armed with spines that originate from the base of the first leaves to appear on new growth. The leaves which appear during subsequent growth cycles sprout from the base of these spines. Young seedlings enjoy lots of exposure and more frequent water when they are in leaf.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Johannian (The Black Hills, SD - Zone 4b) on Jan 9, 2022 6:33 PM concerning plant:

Range: western Texas to southeastern California; northern Mexico.

Reply to this comment

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Occotillo by bisbeegirl	Oct 8, 2015 9:37 AM	0
My Happy Ocotillo by plantmanager	Dec 12, 2015 6:05 PM	2
Connecting the dots... by Baja_Costero	Aug 10, 2018 3:19 PM	3

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Fouquieria Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)

Fouquieria
Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)