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Native Plant Database

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Fouquieria splendens (Ocotillo)
Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Fouquieria splendens Engelm.

Ocotillo, Devil’s walking stick, Candlewood

Fouquieriaceae (Ocotillo Family)

USDA Symbol: fosp2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Ocotillo is a spiny shrub to 20 ft. with many long, whip-like, unbranched green stems growing from the base. Stems are leafless most of the year, covering themselves with bright green leaves after a rain. A funnel-shaped plant with several woody, almost unbranched, spiny, commonly straight stems leafless most of the year, and a tight cluster of red flowers at tip of each branch. Scarlet, tubular-shaped flowers are held in terminal clusters.

The family consists of about 11 species, mostly in Mexico, with Ocotillo (pronounced o-ko-tee-yo) the most northern, and perhaps the Boojum Tree (F. columnaris) of Baja California the most unusual. Leaves appear only after rain and wither when the soil dries, a cycle commonly repeated several times during the warm season. The name Ocotillo means little pine in Mexican Spanish, a reference to the fact that, like a pine (ocote), its stalks produce a resin used by humans for various purposes.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf: Green
Flower: Flowers in 8 inch spikes
Fruit:
Size Class: 12-36 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Orange
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , NM , NV , TX
Native Distribution: W. TX to s. CA & n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Flat desert areas
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Cold Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Sandy or rocky soils. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Limestone-based, Igneous
Conditions Comments: Drought tolerant. Tall, spreading stems with thorns form an impenetrable enclosure.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Accent tree or shrub, Screens, Desert landscape, Security hedge
Use Wildlife: Flowers attract hummingbirds, finches and many other birds as well as insects. Nectar-hummingbirds, Nectar-insects, Nectar-bees, Seeds-granivorous birds, Seeds-Small mammals
Use Other: Gum resin in bark used for waxing leather and adhesive/waterproofing agent, and varnish.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Will sprout from untreated seeds sown in spring or early summer. Reproduces most reliably from cuttings taken any time.
Seed Collection: Gather seeds as the capsules turn brown and begin to dry but before they dehisce. Air dry, remove seeds from capsules, and store in sealed, refrigerated containers.
Seed Treatment: No pretreatment is necessary.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Tohono Chul Park, Inc. - Tucson, AZ
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 307 - Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest: Including recipes, harmful plants, natural dyes, and textile fibers: A Practical Guide (1999) Tull, D.
Bibref 355 - Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender

Search More Titles in Bibliography

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1990 VOL. 7, NO.2 - Preservation Blooms in Recreated Prairies, New Wildflower Center Prairie Welcome...

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Fouquieria splendens in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Fouquieria splendens in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Fouquieria splendens

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-05-14
Research By: TWC Staff

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