Ocotillo, Desert Foothills Scenic Drive, 1995

One of the queerest and spectacular of desert plants. Because of its appearance it is also known as coachwhip, candlewood, slimwood, Jacob’s staff, vine cactus, flamingsword. The Ocotillo is not a cactus. A thorny shrub, it is a member of the Ocotillo Family and related to the boojum tree found in Baja. Its name is pronounced oh-ko-TEE-oh.

• Blooms during the months of March, April, May and June with clusters of red, tubular flowers (which look like a flaming sword).
• Grows at elevations below 5,000′ preferring rocky, well-drained slopes.
• Most of the year, the individual “sticks” or canes that make up the plant do not have leaves, but after a heavy rain bright green leaves grow. When arid conditions return, the plant conserves energy by losing its leaves.
• Ranchers, past and present, planted rows of ocotillo to create living fences. In some parts of Mexico, stems are used by natives to build huts.