The
ocotillo (
Fouquieria splendens - also called the
coachwhip,
Jacob's staff, and the
vine cactus) is a curious, and unique
desert plant of the
southwestern United States and northern
Mexico. For much of the year, the plant appears to be an arrangement of large spiny dead sticks, although closer examination reveals that the
stems are partly green. With rainfall the plant quickly becomes lush with small (2-4 cm) ovate
leaves, which may remain for weeks or even months.
The stems may reach a diameter of 5 cm at the base, and the plant may grow to a height of 10 m. The plant branches very heavily at its base, but above that the branches are pole-like and only infrequently divide further, and specimens in cultivation may not exhibit any secondary branches. The leaf stalks harden into blunt spines, and new leaves sprout from the base of the spine. The bright red flowers appear in spring and summer, occurring as a group of small tube shapes at the tip of the stem.
Ocotillo poles are a common fencing material in their native region, and often take root to form a living fence. Owing to light weight and an interesting pattern, these have been used for canes or walking sticks.
Three subspecies are accepted by some botanists
