Fouquieria splendens Ocotillo, coach whip...
Fouquieria splendens Ocotillo, coach whip or vine cactus
Deciduous, thorny cactus
In the desert landscape and from a distance, ocotillo look like delicate, abstract fires. On closer inspection, the tall, wiry, thorny canes of the ocotillo become quite imposing. In a man-made landscape, the ocotillo’s frame is statuesque and stark, especially when viewed in front of a wall or against the sky.
Native to the deserts of the Southwest and northern Mexico, ocotillo is harvested and transported to Southern California nurseries, where it is sold bare-root. Harvesting of ocotillo is strictly regulated. Make sure any plant you buy has a tag that indicates that it has been inspected by the Department of Agriculture.
Some landscapers have used ocotillo grown in clumps with mounding cactus, saguaro and succulents, and then added large rocks to complete the effect. Sunset’s “New Western Garden Book” mentions using ocotillo as an “impenetrable hedge”; the idea probably was adapted from the practice in Mexico in which ocotillo canes are stuck in the ground to form a fence. Ocotillo also is interesting grown in containers.
Extremely hardy, ocotillo grows anywhere where it’s hot. It does quite well in the San Fernando Valley and inland areas, but it can grow in the coastal areas if given the proper conditions: rocky soil and full sun. It needs water only until the roots are established, then you can let the rain take care of things. Water it by spraying the canes. According to Bruce Throckmorton of Arid Zone Farms, above every thorn is a tiny, spongy area that absorbs moisture. In the ocotillo’s natural habitat, moisture collects in these junctures at night and this is how the plant survives its harsh climate.
Ocotillo sprouts its small leaves during the rains and then drops them when the plant needs to focus on conserving water. In the spring, clusters of showy red tubular flowers bloom from the tips of the canes. The flowers can remain for weeks, until the plant goes dormant (when the weather is dry).
Keep in mind that overwatering kills ocotillo. For new canes, cut back the stems so that the roots will send out shoots. Watch for rust and powdery mildew. Ocotillo sometimes appear a little too grayish. If you suspect that the plant is dead, cut off a tip of a cane to see if the inside is still green.
Arid Zone Farms, 52-750 S. Jefferson St., La Quinta (southeast of Palm Springs), gets its ocotillo from Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. It’s a good place to visit and pick out your ocotillo. Specimens there range from 5 to 14 feet. (Ocotillo grows so slowly that you should buy it at the size you want it.) Your local nursery also can order ocotillo from Arid Zone Farms: (619) 564-3574.
